The ICD Japan section has reached its 50th anniversary year and a ceremony was performed at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo on May 19th (Saturday). On Friday, May 18th, the national board of directors was held in the Imperial Hotel at 17:00, and after that we greeted guests from the foreign countries and a welcome party was hosted in the Matsumoto- rou restaurant in the Hibiya park.

Moderated by Dr. Karakama , one of the members of the committee of international affairs, we were greeted by Ema, the President of the Japan ICD section, Dr.Johnson of the ICD international president and then began a feast by the promouncement of Dr.Suzuki who was the president of ICD Canadian section. Dr.Karakama introduced all of the international guest. The guests from the foreign countries which attended in the day were the following.

Dr. Donald EugeneJohnson & Mrs. Jan Ozburn Johnson , USA, President of the ICD, Prof.Mike Suzuki & Mrs. Stella Suzuki , Canada, President of the ICD Canada section, Prof. Chong Yeol Kim &Mrs. Kim, Korea, The President of The ICD Korea Section, Dr. Hwan Ho Yeo & Mrs. Yeo, Korea, Treasurer of the ICD Korea Section, Prof. Wan-Hong Lan & Mrs. Tiffany Mei-Chu L.Lan ,Taiwan, President of the ICD Taiwan Section, Dr.Hin-Chen Liu &Mrs.Mandy Wei-Yi Liu, Secretary -General , ICD Chinese-Taiwan Section, Dr. James Yingk Tseng, Taiwan, Dr. Cho Sitt, , Myanmar, President-Elect 2007 of the ICD Myanmar Region, Dr. Tun Tun Thwe, Myanmar, Secretary-General of the ICD Myanmar Region and Dr. and Mrs. Craig Baumgatner. The atmosphere of the party was very warm and pleasant and a commemorative photograph of all members was taken. and Dr. Senda who was an international council gave the closing message.

May 19th (Saturday) began with the orientation of the new fellows around 8 o'clock in the morning and an annual meeting convened from 10:00 a.m. Next, an Induction ceremony was solemnly held with the participation of the international president and international guests. 20 new fellows and two fellows who could not attend an induction ceremony last year were celebrated by every attendants. A 50th anniversary ceremony was held from 1 p.m.by the moderating of Dr. Koitabashi, who was a Secretary General of ICD Japan section. After the national anthem performance and the opening speech by vice-president Tanno, President Ema gave a memorial speech. Next there were guests' congratulatory speeche by the ICD international president, Dr. Johnson representatively. After that, a commemoration medal to every fellow was passed with Ikuta fellow as the representative. Next, was the move to the awarding and member service awarding, special service awarding, corporate service awarding, member regular attendance awarding.

There was a lecture of " the 50 years history of ICD Japan section " by Dr. Yorozuya who was a council of the committee for continuing education, and it ended with the closing address of vice-president Dr.Sato..

The special lecture was " the thing left behind of the Japanese " by Hiroyuki Itsuki,

who was a very famous story teller in Japan. His talk was different from the atmosphere of his novel and was an interesting lecture. After cocktail time, the social party started with the performance of the Meiji University mandolin club. A lot of guests attended from home and abroad. There were guests' congratulatory speeches of Dr.Johnson, international President, Dr. Morioka, PFA society Japan president, Mr. Nakao, president of GC company and it was followed by the greeting by Dr. Ema, president of ICD Japan section.

After the vocalizing of Youjirou Kawamura master a feast followed.

There was a guest introduction from Dr. Nishida who is executive council and there was an introduction of 22 new fellows and 4 researchers and one dental student from Brazil, Korea, China, Pakistan and Colombia after that.

Incidentally, the introduction was performed by means of slides made by power point computer soft. This was first trial and very pleasant and cheerful ones.

Dr.Tannos closing address was done.

Next Sunday, on 20th May, an excursion was taken in the morning, arranged by the Editorial committee members. It took place at the course to be content in the emotion of the downtown from Hama-rikyu to Asakusa with the ship and to have lunch in the Kawazin restaurant in Shibamata Katsushika-ku. The theme was to introduce old Tokyo for the guests from foreign country. The day was blessed with good weather and the guests from the foreign countries, too, seem to enjoy Tokyo in the early summer. We hope that it could be the opportunity to appeal to the guests from the foreign countries for helping to introducing Japan and the activity of ICD section.

(Koji Hashimoto : Committee for the International Affairs)

Seiichiro Ema

It is my great honor to heartily welcome to you on behalf of the 50th anniversary ceremony of the ICD Japan section

First of all, I would like to thank to Dr Donald Johnson who is international president, Dr. Mike Suzuki who is the Canadian president, Dr. Kim who is the Korean president, Dr. Ran who is the president of the Taiwan section, Dr. Cho Sitt President elect of Myanmar, for the coming a long way to Japan.

In this 50th anniversary ceremony, we very much like to thank the presidents of the dental university and school of dentistry, the section presidents of the Japanese Association for Dental Science, Drs of the Japanese dental association and representatives of each alumni association of the dental school for participating this ceremony. Also, we have to show lots of thanks to the people of the manufacturers for their great contribution.

I would like to show lots of thanks to them again.

In November 1920, at the meeting of Dr. Otffy and Dr. Okumura and the proposal " To think of the way that the dentist all over the world can know a dental situation " was done. This is the motive to establish the international college of dentist(ICD) .

After that, in 1926 it was decided that ICD would be established as the international society at the international congress of Dental Science and on July 9th 1928, ICD was the corporate organization. In 1930 the first attestation ceremony was held .

On the other hand when turning eyes to the Japanese section,

Dr.Fukushima had been the first president (20 fellows) from 1952. In 1958, fourteen new fellows joined and the number of fellows had increased 34 totally. The ICD Japan Section was recognized by the international headquarter. 38 years had already passed since the meeting of Dr. Ottfy and Dr. Okumura in 1920. I suppose this was a very long and hard way because of the Second World War.

I think even the association with the United States or the exchange of letters in a time when the means of transportation and the means of communication were completely different compared to the present.

When thinking of the heart of the forerunners in the foundation of the ICD Japan section, I would like to show heartful appreciation and special thanks. It is a new way of thinking of former 50 years and then it has to be done for the future 100 year anniversary by even more efforts. Fortunately, there is an ethics standard which is called the commitment in ICD.

Though the ten articles of the ICD and the commitment of the ICD Japan section were made over 50 years ago, they are still very fresh. There is something which is forgotten in the world of the economy priority principle, the economic celestial principle even if there are the people who think the times are different.

At a special lecture today the title of which is the subject which Itsuki Hiroyuki calls " the things left behind the Japanese ".
I suppose he will give us some important message.

Today, the ICD Japan section observes the 50th Anniversary ceremony, when considering the years up to establishing is 38 years it becomes 88 years totally.

It is thus a congratulation of the 88 yearsold which is beizyu if saying it in Japanese style. For the memory of this happy year, the ICD Japan Section made an ICD50 anniversary commemoration batch as the certificate of being a fellow. The batch in which the stone of emerald of the green which is the color of ICD is embedded.

They were made just in the number of the fellows because it hsas made them expensive. It isn't possible to remake if it is lost. Please keep it forever carefully.

At this ceremony, we would like to award the people of the master, the fellow, the manufacturer who contributed 10 years of the 40 anniversary years.

Finally, for hosting this 50 anniversary ceremony, we had extraordinary cooperation from all executives and committee members. I would like to say, my heartfelt appreciation and special thanks for whole of them.

Thank you.

Donald E. Johnson, DDS, FACD, MICD

Today, we are here to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Japan Section as an Autonomous Section of the International College of Dentists. The parent organization, the College at Large, is celebrating 79 years as THE preeminent international dental organization, and is the only international organization that is dedicated to the preservation of the dental profession and the private practice of dentistry.

On behalf of the International Council, I want to congratulate President Ema and the Board of Directors for another outstanding year. I also want to express my personal appreciation for the quality of individuals the Japan Section has sent to serve on the International Council. We have always requested that the Sections send the best of the best to serve as International Councilmen; and the Japan Section has definitely filled that request with Nori Moriyama, Yoshinori Satoh, and now, Akira Senda. I would also like to express my personal appreciation and make note of the efficiency of your Vice President and International Councilman Yoshinori Satoh for his prompt communications and attention to details in arranging our visit to Japan.

The Japan Section is one of the outstanding Sections of the College and has been an example of great leadership from the inception, having produced not only one of the original founders of the College; but two International Presidents and a President-Elect as well. Japan has also produced two of the seven individuals who have received the Ottofy-Okumura Award, the highest award given within the ICD. Let us take a few minutes and visit the history of the ICD; because quite often the history of an organization can be a prologue to the future. When the idea of the organization that would later become the International College of Dentists was first conceived, there were only two individuals involved; both dentists, both educators, one Japanese and one American. Both had the same desire; which was to develop a method of communicating new ideas and techniques which would serve to broaden the scope of dental education, worldwide. The two individuals were Louis Ottofy, the American, and Tsu-ru-kichi Okumura, the Japanese. The occasion was a farewell dinner sponsored by Dr Okumura to honor Dr Ottofy who had been involved in education in Japan and the Philippines for many years and would soon return to the United States.

The idea was to develop an organization, different from any other in existence, an organization, international in scope, where individual dentists could meet with other dental practitioners, from even the most remote parts of the world; for the purpose of exchanging ideas, techniques, and developing concepts of a dental nature.

One must bear in mind that at this time, 1920, we were not blessed with the World Wide World or the Internet. Bear in mind also that most of the persons in this room, were not yet alive. And bear in mind that communication of new dental ideas and knowledge was mostly by word of mouth; and waiting for written publications was considered a restriction to progress.

In 1928 the idea for the International College of Dentists became a reality and from those two original founders, 300 of the Top dentists in the world were selected. Pressured by demand, the limit was raised to 500. From that original core, the present organization of ten thousand plus Fellows has developed; and the requirements for Fellowship remain the same. So, what are the requirements for Fellowship in the International College of Dentists?

First of all; no dentist can be considered until he or she has had at least 5 years of experience after graduation from an accredited dental school. Five years was chosen as a minimum in order to allow time for an individual to establish a pattern of performance; and for that pattern of performance to be observed by his or her colleagues. The waiting period of five years also allows an individual to accept, initiate, or reject, the opportunity for volunteer service to the community, or to organized dentistry. Five years is also ample time for an individual to exhibit a level of moral character within a community. Five years is not enough time for an aspiring individual to rise through the ranks from committee service to a top leadership level; but the seed, once planted, will either grow or fade away. Those who continue to grow and perform become noticed by Fellows of the College and once quality is assured, Fellowship is offered.

The offer of Fellowship is an Honor. It is a reward for the performance exhibited by an individual over an extended period of time. Fellowship is an Honor bestowed upon those individuals who have exhibited an interest in the care and wellbeing of the dental profession and a respect for those individuals who pioneered and developed dentistry into the respected profession we enjoy today. The product developed by those pioneers of dentistry must be maintained and the progression of the profession must continue. The International College of Dentists has accepted that challenge and has spent the last 79 years developing an organization that can, and will, Continue to advance the dental profession. The question is often asked? If communication was the sole purpose for the formation of the International College, do the present methods of instantaneous transmission of information make the College obsolete? On the contrary, the Internet and satellite communications serve to assist the mission of the College by allowing access to even the most remote areas.

The Mission of the College is Service. Just as the Mission Statement is worded; Recognizing Service and the Opportunity to Serve. The Mission of the International College of Dentists is to serve the profession of dentistry and to preserve the history of the dental profession. The wording of the Mission Statement is very clear. The International College of Dentists is a leading honorary dental organization dedicated to the recognition of outstanding professional achievement and meritorious service and the continued progress of dentistry for the benefit of humankind. Truly a service organization dedicated to serve the profession of dentistry and to perpetuate the history of the dental profession. The Japan Section is, as I have stated before, a major component of the International College of Dentists and has proven its value to the ICD for the past 50 years. I congratulate the Officers and Directors of the Japan Section for that performance.

Fraternally,