About OPIC2026
International Congress on Emerging Fields and Exploratory Research in Optics and Photonics
The Optics and Photonics International Congress (OPIC) is co-organized with the Optics and Photonics International Exhibition (OPIE), bringing together researchers and developers from around the world to discuss the science and industry of optics and photonics. Held annually, its purpose is to showcase state-of-the-art achievements and disseminate guidelines for a future society enabled by science and technology.
Since its inception in 2012, OPIC has been held every April at Pacifico Yokohama. It has established itself as a significant international conference originating in Japan, with new Specialized International Conferences added each year and an increasing number of participants. OPIC currently comprises Specialized International Conferences covering a broad range of fields: lasers, biomedicine, nanophotonics, metasurfaces, optical measurement, optical manipulation, x-ray optics, THz, IoT, display and lighting, high-energy density science, power transmission, space and earth science, and photonics for agriculture.
OPIC has evolved into one of the largest international conference events, providing an efficient forum for participants to exchange the latest advances in the science and technology of optics, photonics, and their applications. By hosting various optics-related technical conferences in one location based on common elemental technologies and sharing supply and demand across various fields, OPIC accelerates the development and application of these technologies
The Congress had been growing steadily up to 2019 in terms of conferences, papers, participants, and participating countries. Having overcome the difficult conditions faced in OPIC2020 and 2021 due to the impact of COVID-19, OPIC returned to a fully in-person format in 2023. At OPIC2025, several Specialized International Conferences were not held annually or were held overseas, resulting in a slight decrease in the number of participating specialized international conferences compared to OPIC2024, but two new conferences related to metasurfaces and photonics for agriculture were added. OPIC2025 featured 14 specialized international conferences, with a total of 1,152 participants. Of these, participants from 43 countries, accounting for approximately 40%, were from overseas. This ratio of international participants is significantly higher than the level of other international conferences held in Japan, and it can be said that OPIC, held in Japan, has once again gained high recognition as a place where researchers gather.
OPIC 2026 is scheduled to feature a record 18 specialized international conferences. We aim to deepen collaboration with SPIE, strengthen exchanges between industry and academia, and host an international conference event that leads the way in promoting photonics technology and the photonics industry. We anticipate all participants will have meaningful in-person discussions with colleagues to foster fruitful collaboration. We look forward to seeing you all in Yokohama!