Dear Colleagues and Friends,

On behalf of the Japanese Society for Amino Acid Sciences (JSAAS), it is my great honor and pleasure to invite you to the 1st International Amino Acid Symposium. Co-sponsored by the International Council on Amino Acid Science (ICAAS), this landmark event will be held on September 3-4 at Tokyo International Forum in Japan.

Since the dawn of the 21st century, research on amino acids has undergone a dramatic transformation. Historically, amino acids were primarily viewed through a static perspective—understood mainly as simple precursors of proteins and other essential metabolites. Today, however, our understanding has profoundly shifted. It is now increasingly evident that amino acids play multifaceted and highly regulatory roles as dynamic hubs of intracellular metabolism.

The primary objective of this symposium is to consolidate and integrate the remarkable advances into amino acids that have been achieved over the past two decades. Furthermore, it aims to provide a vibrant platform to provide a platform for discussing of our field. During the symposium, we will explore the latest findings across diverse disciplines, delving deeply into the biology, chemistry, and technology of amino acids, as well as their critical intersections with medicine and healthcare.

By bringing together leading scientists and professionals from academia, industry, and the public sector from around the globe, we hope to foster interdisciplinary dialogue, spark meaningful collaborations, and pave the way for the next generation of amino acid research.

I eagerly look forward to welcoming you to Tokyo for what promises to be an intellectually stimulating and deeply rewarding symposium. Let us shape the future of amino acid science together.

Sincerely,

Distinguished colleagues, honored guests, and friends,

On behalf of the International Council on Amino Acid Science (ICAAS), it is my great pleasure to warmly welcome you to this international symposium dedicated to the human science of amino acids and their contributions to global health promotion and dietary improvement. We are deeply honored to partner with the Japanese Society for Amino Acid Sciences, and gather with such an outstanding group of scientists, and experts from around the world.

ICAAS was founded 25 years ago to advance safety science of amino acids through rigorous research, open scientific dialogue, and constructive engagement with regulatory and public health communities. In this spirit, ICAAS continues serving as an observer organization to the United Nations Codex Alimentarius, and over many years has accumulated extensive experience in regulatory science processes across Europe, the Americas, and Asia. This global perspective allows us to help bridge scientific innovation with responsible policy development.

A central pillar of ICAAS activities has been our commitment to evidence-based safety science. Over a period of fifteen years until 2019, ICAAS had sponsored a comprehensive series of human clinical safety studies on selected amino acids, contributing substantially to the scientific foundation for their appropriate use. In parallel, ICAAS organized and supported a series of nine international scientific workshops, the outcomes of which were published in The Journal of Nutrition, helping to disseminate consensus views and stimulate further research worldwide.

The present symposium represents a natural extension of these efforts. By sponsoring and managing this meeting, ICAAS seeks to provide a neutral and inclusive platform where cutting-edge science, clinical insights, and regulatory perspectives can be shared openly and constructively.

I extend my sincere gratitude to all speakers, participants, and co-organizers for your commitment to scientific excellence. I wish you a productive, inspiring, and rewarding symposium.

Thank you, and welcome to Tokyo.