analytical chemistry
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U.S.-Japan Cooperation in Analytical Chemistry Some m o n t h s ago I a t t e n d e d the International Conference on Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry, held in J a p a n . T h e trip provided me with the o p p o r t u n i t y to visit several laboratories a n d scientists involved in analytical chemistry. Among these were Professor Shigero Ikeda a t Osaka University, Professor Hiroyuki H a t a n o at Kyoto University, a n d Professor Atsushi Mizuike a t Nagoya University. I also visited the h e a d q u a r t e r s of t h e J a p a n Society for Analytical Chemistry in Tokyo, where my host was Professor Shizuo Fujiwara, t h e president of the society. Everywhere I visited, the strength and vigor of analytical chemistry were evident. I would like to share some of these impressions with our readers. Prior to my visit I had read an interesting interview with the J a p a n e s e Nobel Laureate Dr. Leo Esaki, published in t h e Washington Post. In the interview he commented t h a t there are different forms of genius: "Americans are motivated to make the unknown known. T h e Japanese are highly motivated to make the known work and function better. Which," he asks, "is more truly creative?" As I visited the various laboratories I was indeed impressed with the creativity and attention to detail exhibited by the Japanese scientists in their research involving a wide array of modern instrumental techniques. T h e high-caliber research a n d leadership quality of a n u m b e r of laboratories are becoming increasingly apparent from the articles being published by Japanese scientists in this JOURNAL. Also, an increasing n u m b e r of American analytical chemists are spending their sabbatical leaves in J a p a n . Among those I met during my visit were Professor Klaus Biemann of M I T and Professor Herbert Hill of Washington State University. T h e J a p a n e s e Society for Analytical Chemistry is interested in encouraging further cooperation between J a p a n e s e a n d American analytical chemists. While there has been a good exchange between the scientists of our two countries during the past few decades, the J a p a n Society for Analytical Chemistry has set as one of its goals the stimulation of even greater cooperation. Based on my observations I heartily s u p p o r t such a program. Perhaps it is time to initiate a U.S.-Japan workshop on analytical chemistry to further explore m u t u a l areas of interest and cooperation. Previous U.S.-Japan workshops have been very effective in other disciplines of science. It is now time for analytical chemistry to profit from such an exchange.
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ANALYTICAL
CHEMISTRY,
V O L . 5 6 , NO. 4, APRIL
1984
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609
