Welcoming the Year 2026
As the year 2026 commences, I extend my heartfelt wishes for the good health and happiness of all our members. Last year marked the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Japan Concrete Institute (JCI), and it was a profound joy to celebrate this milestone together with our members and stakeholders, while reflecting on the achievements of our predecessors. This occasion offered a renewed opportunity to reaffirm JCI’s unwavering mission: to support the continual advancement of our members’ expertise and capabilities and to fulfill society’s trust. With a view toward the next several years, JCI continues to formulate long-term visions and to identify key challenges. Preparations have also begun for the fib Congress 2030, to be held in Kyoto for the first time in approximately 28 years, in collaboration with the Japan Prestressed Concrete Institute.
In a society experiencing population decline, the responsibilities and roles of engineers and specialists take on even more significance, and the qualification systems for Authorized Concrete Engineers and Authorized Chief Concrete Engineers, and Authorized Concrete Diagnosis & Maintenance Engineers, serve as a core mechanism for realizing JCI’s mission. We regard it as our duty not only to ensure the continuity of these systems, but also to establish an environment in which they can be more effectively utilized in society. We will continue to strengthen our support systems for those involved in question formulation, assessment, and examination administration, while promoting greater understanding among project owners and procurers, and improving the eligibility frameworks for examinees.
In discussions on the environment, natural disasters, and energy, it is becoming increasingly evident that the compass of both academic and technical progress is evolving in bold new directions that transcend disciplinary boundaries. It was heartening that last year, with guidance from multiple academic societies, a new technical committee spanning the fields of architecture, civil engineering, geotechnical engineering, and cement, was formed, establishing a collaborative framework for practitioners and researchers to address seismic resistance, maintenance, and construction in an integrated manner. JCI’s membership spans materials, design, construction, supervision, rehabilitation, and reconstruction, and I hope to further strengthen the Institute’s function as a horizontal platform for information-sharing across these domains. We also recognize the importance of presenting, in a quantitative and visible manner, the societal and economic benefits generated by concrete engineering.
The close scheduling of our 60th anniversary events and the 2025 Annual Convention in Morioka enabled us to welcome many distinguished guests from overseas. Allow me to once again extend my sincere gratitude to all those who contributed their time, energy, and expertise to these events. We hosted the presidents of the concrete societies of the United States, South Korea, and Taiwan, as well as the president of the Asian Concrete Federation, and through keynote lectures and discussions, we explored regional characteristics in concrete production and supply systems, qualification frameworks, standards and codes, and corporate conduct, giving us a valuable opportunity to reassess Japan’s standing in the field of concrete engineering. We also received valuable input on a range of topics, including support for young, mid-career, and female engineers, approaches to disseminating information (including publications), international engagement, and the revitalization of regional chapter activities. Some initiatives, such as securing external funding, are already underway, and during the remainder of my term, I intend to advance the organization and implementation of reforms aimed at medium-term improvements through 2030.
We are now able to conduct objective, quantitative evaluations of our organizational sustainability in accordance with the three accounting standards for public interest corporations and the spirit of the law. I wish to express my deep appreciation to the accounting officers at JCI’s headquarters and regional branches for their understanding and dedication in this regard. Like many organizations, JCI has not been immune to rising prices and operating costs; we will continue striving to improve the accuracy of our budget estimates and to maintain and strengthen our administrative structure in support of our public-interest activities, while ensuring managerial flexibility.
In closing, I sincerely wish all our members a fruitful, healthy, and fulfilling year in 2026.
Koichi Maekawa
President, Japan Concrete Institute
(Visiting Professor, Institute of Multidisciplinary Sciences, Yokohama National University Professor Emeritus, The University of Tokyo)
