Due to the rapid world-wide spreading of the new coronavirus infections (COVID-2019), we have decided to hold OPIC 2020 not as an in-person conference as originally planned, but as an online virtual conference.

The OPIC 2020 will be comprised of a Plenary Session and 12 Specialized Conferences. (Three Specialized Conferences which were originally planned are cancelled.) Although we cannot communicate directly as we enjoy at the in-person meetings, this online conference, which is supported by many conferences, has several advantages: you can focus on the specific presentations you are interested in on your pc, you can attend the presentations at various sessions which are often difficult due to overlap in parallel sessions, and you can send questions and comments to the presenters. (Detailed account of this online conference will be announced by March 23.)

We would like to thank all who have submitted the papers and also the invited speakers who have kindly agreed to make presentations at OPIC 2020. Since we will make every effort to make this conference very useful to all participants, we hope most of you will participate in OPIC 2020 and strengthen our communication in spite of this difficult situation.

Yoshiaki Kato, Congress Co-Chair
Shuji Sakabe, Chair, Organizing Committee
Fumihiko Kannari, Chair, Steering Committee