We wish to express our appreciation for your concern and encouragement following the earthquake that struck the northern Pacific coastal region of Japan on March 11 and the series of disaster that followed.

While some of you have expressed concern about cancellation of the meeting, we wish to assure you that we will hold the JFPS meeting in October, as planned.

You will find some updated information for travelers in the website of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport below.

http://www.mlit.go.jp/koku/flyjapan_en/index.html

Again, we thank you for your support during these difficult times.

On behalf of the Japan Fluid Power System Society (JFPS), we are delighted to host the 8th JFPS international Symposium on Fluid Power in Okinawa, Japan, on October 25-28, 2011.

The symposium will be addressing recent developments in fluid power technologies including water hydraulics and functional fluids, and will include presentations on basic researches, applications and case studies.

The main theme of the 2011 symposium is “Future on Fluid Power Mechatronics.” Surrounded by the sea, Okinawa is the biggest resort paradise in Japan. You can enjoy the beautiful nature and traditional culture of old kingdom of “Ryukyu,” as well as the amazing achievements of the field of Fluid Power.

State-of-the-art exhibitions of fluid power systems and components will place special emphasis on industrial applications and their engineering backgrounds. The objectives of the symposium is to provide a forum to exchange ideas and opinions on current and newly developing technologies for researchers and engineers from all over the world.

Okinawa, the venue of the conference, is the southernmost prefecture of Japan and the Okinawa Islands that include the Miyako and Yaeyama groups are located almost midway between Kyushu and Taiwan. Thus, Okinawa is a southern paradise where colorful flowers of the subtropics bloom in the year round. The sea that surrounds these islands has an emerald-green sheen, and the resplendent coral reefs are among the world's finest.