It is my honor to invite you to the 2008 Pacific Rim College of Psychiatrists meeting. This is the most exciting time in the history of our profession, with advances in every aspect. Join us as we explore the challenge of integrating the best of our humanistic traditions with cutting-edge scientific advances. Our colleagues in Japan, led by PRCP President Elect Fumitaka Noda, MD and his organizing committee, are planning a congress which will capture all the excitement of this challenge. This period of great change in our field will be reflected not only in our program, but also in our location in Tokyo. As one of the world's great metropolitan cities, Tokyo captures the interaction of the past with the future in a way that captures the imagination and parallels our congress program. I urge you to submit your proposals for our program, and plan now to join us in Tokyo in November, 2008. We expect this to be our largest and most diverse meeting, and we look forward to your joining us in the beautiful fall season in Japan.

Allan Tasman, M.D.
President PRCP

I am very pleased to inform you that the 13th Scientific Meeting of the Pacific Rim College of Psychiatrists in 2008 will be held from October 30 to November 2 in Tokyo, Japan. This meeting will be conducted under the presidency of Professor Allan Tasman, while I will act as Chair of the meeting.

Around that time, we will be in the midst of autumn, which is one of the most beautiful seasons in Japan. I am sure that you will enjoy both your academic and leisure time here. The main theme of the meeting is 'Recent Changes in Pacific Rim Psychiatry : Evolution of Multicultural / Multidisciplinary Mental Health.' Under this theme, the organizing committee will welcome people from over 20 countries. We also plan to invite some young promising psychiatrists who cannot afford to join us because of their national economic conditions. This will be a good occasion for us to rethink the idea of 'collaboration' among countries, cultures, professions and people.

Tokyo is one of the most modern cities in the world. It has over seven downtown areas that each has its own character. Tokyo also has a very unique electric district, Akihabara, and a very traditional downtown, Asakusa, where you can see the good old days of Japan still preserved. A one-hour train ride from Tokyo will take you to Kamakura, often called 'little Kyoto', where you can enjoy visiting many shrines and temples, a huge Buddha and a beautiful beach. On behalf of the organizing committee for the 2008 PRCP Scientific Meeting in Japan, I cordially invite you to Japan and look forward to seeing you then.

Fumitaka Noda, M.D., PhD
President-elect, PRCP
Chair, 13th PRCP Scientific Meeting