Looking back at the last fiscal year, while the COVID-19 pandemic is subsiding, in global affairs, the situation in the Ukraine is entering its third year since the Russian invasion with no end in sight, and last year saw the incursion of Israel into the Gaza Strip. Additionally, as we entered the new year in Japan, a large earthquake occurred, originating in the Noto Peninsula of Ishikawa prefecture. I would like to express our heartfelt sympathies again to all those affected by the “2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake.”

　Amidst these external circumstances, recent advancements in video and network technologies have made it possible to convey in real time different scenes from around the world using devices such as drones and smartphones. Moreover, the use of generative AI in video and audio synthesis is expanding opportunities for increasing business efficiency and new value creation, from generating video content to proposing numerous design ideas. On the other hand, issues related to video are also increasing, such as invasion of privacy risk associated with social media (SNS) and concerns about fake news generated by highly realistic footage, thus necessitating the safe and secure handling of video information.

　The mission of our society is to advance and disseminate scientific theories and technologies related to video information media, and we have been actively contributing to technology innovations in fields such as video/audio and display/visual-expression in today’s society. Having celebrated our 70th anniversary in 2020, we will be even more proactive in our efforts as we head toward our 80th anniversary. I plan to further enhance our three basic initiatives of “revitalize ITE,” “pioneer new fields,” and “expand public-relations activities and member services” in fiscal 2024.

　Under “revitalize ITE,” we will raise the technical level in our field through conventions, international conferences, and research meetings related to video information media while strongly supporting networking among researchers. For the research and development of 4K/8K video equipment, we plan to expand the distribution of the second edition of the ultra-high definition, wide-color-gamut HDR standard video (Series C) test charts. I will also be actively promoting the academic-partner system to increase society membership which is a common issue among many academic societies.

　Under “pioneer new fields,” we plan to build a global network through collaborative events between ITE research committees and the IEEE Japan Council, a joint session with the Korean Institute of Broadcast and Media Engineers (KIBME) at the 2024 ITE Annual Convention, and jointly holding the 31st International Display Workshops (IDW 2024) with the Society for Information Display (SID) in the United States. I will also look beyond the traditional framework of video information media to explore new areas through special feature articles on areas such as “generative AI” and “smart agriculture and smart fisheries” in our society’s journal, as well as hold research meeting on themes such as “psychology and sensibility” and “human factors”

　Under “expand public-relations activities and member services,” we will continue to actively disseminate information through social media channels, the ITE website, and mailing lists in FY2024. In relation to the ITE website, I would like to make it more user-friendly so that it is easier to find and view the information published by ITE, as well as create attractive content to increase membership from the younger generation.

　In closing, in FY2024, I plan to work together with the ITE Board and Secretariat to further invigorate and develop our society. I look forward to your continued guidance and support.