The Japanese Association for Crystal Growth (JACG) was founded on the 25th of November in 1974 to promote communication in scientists and engineers working in the field of crystal growth. Prof. Ryukichi Hashiguchi was a first chairperson of the JACG. The success of the 4th International Conference on Crystal Growth held in Tokyo in March 1974 boosted to establish JACG. Then, the National Conference on Crystal Growth (NCCG) started in 1969 and has been held annually under the auspices of JACG.

JACG joined the International Organization for Crystal Growth (IOCG). Three delegates selected from the JACG members have been contributing to support activity of the IOCG. The IOCG identified the two main tools to promote and support the crystal growth science: a triennial International Conference on Crystal Growth and Epitaxy (ICCGE) and an International Summer School on Crystal Growth (ISSCG). JACG has already hosted three ICCGE’s in Japan; ICCG-4 in Tokyo ICCG-9 in Sendai and ICCG-13 in Kyoto, in 1974, 1989, and 2001, respectively. JACG is going to host the 18th International Conference on Crystal Growth and Epitaxy (ICCGE-18) at Nagoya Congress Center in Nagoya from Aug. 7 to 12 in 2016. JACG is also going to host the 15th International Summer School on Crystal Growth (ISSCG-15) at Doshisha Retreat Center near Lake Biwa in Shiga from Aug. 1 to 7 in 2016 as well.

Total number of members of JACG is now about 600 which include research fields of fundamental, bulk growth, biological crystallization, industrial crystallization, characterization, new technology, new materials, nanocrystalline materials, surface and interface, thin film, epitaxial growth, etc. JACG is now publishing Journal of Japanese Association for Crystal Growth (JJACG) which is now in the form of electronic journal. All of the members of JACG are able to access and download all the articles that appeared in the journal through the JACG web site (http://www.jacg.jp/). The NCCG is one of the main activities of JACG, as well as the organization of Hodankai established by the Late Professor Ichiro Sunagawa in 1976. The name of NCCG was changed to Japanese Conference on Crystal Growth last year.

One of the main objectives of the JACG is to contribute energy, environment, biomedical and security of human life through science and technology of crystal growth. Our honorable members: Prof. Isamu Akasaki and Prof. Hiroshi Amano were fortunately awarded the Nobel Prize in 2014 in the field of blue-light emitting diodes. Such fantastic news encourage us to promote research and development of crystal growth. Then, the JACG is now encouraging the research and development on crystal growth based on science and technology.

As a president of JACG, I sincerely ask you to send your proposals and ideas to encouradge our activity of JACG.