Congrès Inc. Receives JNTO's "Japan Conference Excellence Awards 2025" with Both ICRA2024 and HSR2024 Selected

＜Organizer＞
General Chair, ICRA 2024
Zhidong Wang（Professor, Department of Advanced Robotics, Faculty of Advanced Engineering, Chiba Institute of Technology ）

As General Chair of the 2024 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA2024), and on behalf of the organizing committee, I am deeply honored to receive the FY2025 Contribution Award for International Conference Hosting in the Large-Scale Conference Category.

ICRA is the most prestigious flagship international conference in the fields of robotics and automation.
ICRA2024 was held at PACIFICO Yokohama in May 2024 and welcomed a record number of paper submissions, along with more than 7,000 participants.
I believe this not only demonstrates the robust growth of the robotics and automation field, but also serves as evidence that Japanese culture captivated researchers and outstanding students from around the world.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Yokohama Convention & Visitors Bureau (now the Yokohama City Visitors Bureau), PACIFICO Yokohama, and the MICE Division of the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) for their tremendous support--from the bidding phase through to the successful delivery of the conference.
And I would also like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to Congrès Inc., the official Professional Congress Organizer. In delivering a large-scale conference of a size unprecedented for both myself and the organizing committee members, Congrès Inc. provided exceptionally high-level operational support--including meticulous preparation for the conference program; registration and visa support for more than 7,000 participants; the implementation of the largest co-located exhibition to date; the staffing and on-site operational support; and the planning and delivery of cultural programs.
My sincere thanks go to Ms. Suzuki and Ms. Wada for their leadership, as well as to all members of the team for their invaluable efforts.
Furthermore, this award is also the result of the devoted efforts of the ICRA2024 organizing committee, comprising 106 researchers worldwide (49 from Japan), including Professor Toshio Fukuda of Nagoya University, who serves as a JNTO MICE Ambassador.
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all the researchers and to their families who supported their contributions and activities.

I would like to express my sincere appreciation.

Conference Title

HSR2024（The 8th Global Symposium on Health Systems Research）

Dates

November 18-22, 2024（５Days）

Organizer

HSG (Health Systems Global)

Co-Organizer

Nagasaki University, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)

Host City

Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture

Venue

Dejima Mess Nagasaki

Number of Participants

1,552 participants (1,420 international, 132 domestic)

Participating Countries/Regions

110 countries and regions

Conference Overview

The world's largest symposium bringing together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners in the fields of health policy and health systems.

Reasons for the Award

The conference was highly evaluated for its comprehensive local hosting framework, which brought together government, industry, academia, and civil society. Notable initiatives included public lectures open to citizens, with participation from high school students, and the collaborative development of diverse menu options--such as halal and vegan offerings--by multiple local businesses. In addition, a study tour to the Goto Islands in Nagasaki Prefecture, which showcased advanced initiatives such as the use of drones for remote medical care to address challenges faced by island communities, was also highly praised.

＜Organizer＞
Professor Hirotsugu Aiga, 
Chair of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) and Professor at the Graduate School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University

This award is a recognition of the dedicated preparations by the members of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) in Japan and the extensive collaboration that transcended organizational boundaries. The success of HSR2024 would not have been possible without the unified efforts of local government, industry, academia, and civil society in establishing a strong hosting framework, as well as the outstanding operational capabilities of Congrès Inc., who provided unwavering support as the Professional Congress Organizer. I am deeply grateful for the successful delivery of the first-ever HSR conference in Japan, which welcomed more than 1,500 participants from 110 countries and regions. This award is an honor we share with "ALL Nagasaki" and with your organization. We look forward to continuing our collaboration toward the further development of Nagasaki as an international city.

Dr. Ikuo Takizawa, Co-Chair of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) and Senior Research Fellow at the Ogata Sadako Research Institute for Peace and Development, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA):

The conference was very well received by participants from around the world, and I believe it left them with a highly positive impression of both Japan and Nagasaki. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to everyone involved in the operations for their tremendous efforts in overcoming numerous complex coordination challenges. I am truly pleased that Japan's longstanding contributions to international cooperation led to the successful hosting of this large-scale international conference and ultimately to this award. It was a deeply meaningful experience to reaffirm that international cooperation contributes not only to Japan's engagement with the global community but also to the revitalization of local economies and societies. I look forward to continuing our efforts to share Japan's strengths and appeal with the international community.