As the world’s population ages, the importance of healthy life expectancy will increase. In addition, we will be required to proactively address environmental issues by developing more environmentally friendly technologies and new energy sources to create a sustainable society. To address these social issues, we will be more active than ever in joint research with researchers from around the world.
I believe that analytical measurement technology is the basis of all industries by “making the invisible visible and the unknown understandable.” We have launched an initiative called “Analytical Transformation (AX)” to make it easier to know what we want to know by incorporating the latest AI and other technologies,and we will promote innovative development that can revolutionize customers’ workflows.
For our new medium-term management plan,which started this fiscal year, we have adopted the basic policy of “becoming an innovative company that solves social issues together with our partners around the world.” In addition, we are promoting contributions to the realization of “human health” and “global health” under our corporate motto of “contributing to society through science and technology.”Toward the realization of these goals, we will be more active in our interactions with you; this journal serves as just one resource to introduce contents that will be beneficial to you.

This issue features a special section on “Forensics / Toxicology”, an area where science and technology are particularly important and needed. We introduce researchers working on the front lines and highlight applications that make full use of innovative technologies.

First, Dr. Jose Luiz Costa, Professor of Toxicology and Head of Campinas Poison Control Center,University of Campinas, talks about the concept of green toxicological analysis (GAT) and new psychoactive substances in Brazil. Next, Dr. Michelle Peace, a professor at Virginia Commonwealth University,speaks about the broad implications of vaping on public safety issues and developing methods for analyzing new THC isomers and derivatives.
In addition to the interviews, we introduce related applications using our latest technologies, including detection and differentiation of synthetic cannabinoids,qualitative screening of drugs in whole blood,and human hair cross-section analysis. Furthermore,we highlight recent initiatives related to Forensics / Toxicology, new partnerships, the 20th anniversary of the Koichi Tanaka Mass Spectrometry Research Laboratory, and a unique new product (AIRsight:Infrared and Raman Spectroscopy).

We hope that this journal provides you with ideas for solving issues now and in the future. Your generous feedback is always appreciated.