Life science and biotechnology, showing accelerated development since the late 20th century, have been drawing great attention as key technologies to solve the global level of problems in the fields of health, food, energy, and environment. Biotechnology in particular is expected to play an essential role for sustainable industrial development.

Recently, a concept called "open innovation" has been gathering momentum; the idea is that a group of organizations collaborate and bring optimum technologies together, achieve technological breakthroughs, and materialize them. Sole victory and homegrown development are no longer feasible in the field of the bioindustry, too, and international collaboration is becoming almost a prerequisite for success.

BioJapan, the longest-running international comprehensive biotech event in Japan, is pleased to offer you this unique opportunity for communication - communication among players in the industry to build bases for future open innovation.

BioJapan 2006, held in Osaka after 12-year interval, showcased 303 booth lots by 383 companies/ organizations, surpassing the previous year's scale. The three-day event also received the total of 20,000 visitors. It was an invaluable opportunity for exhibitors and visitors alike to meet with new prospective customers whom they might not have been able to encounter, had the event taken place in the Kanto area. With international exhibitors participating from 15 countries and regions, a lot of active business meetings, in search for business seeds, sprang both inside and outside of the exhibition floor.

More visitors and exhibitors are finding ways to make full use of this unique event: at the seminar floor, you may listen to outstanding front-line researchers from the world whom you may not have a chance to meet otherwise; at the exhibition floor, you may exchange information on the latest technological trends directly with reps from other companies and build business networks; meanwhile, you can use your brief spare time for business matching and find your prospective business partners out of all these participants from all over the world.

In Osaka, there were a lot of exchanges going on among exhibitors, and overseas participants, too, found this experience very fruitful. The high quality of the event is reflected in the large number of top-class participants from domestic and overseas governments, companies, and organizations, as well as high rates of repeat exhibitors and visitors.

Now, BioJapan is coming back to Yokohama. Yokohama, an old port town since the dawn of modern Japan, has been holding the established position of the country's gateway to the world. With the 150th anniversary of the opening Port of Yokohama approaching, the city will be the perfect location for promoting open innovation.

We thank you in advance for your warm support and cooperation, and are looking forward to seeing you in Yokohama.