日本動物実験代替法学会 理事長挨拶
このたび，2026-2027年度の代替法学会理事長を務めさせていただきます東京大学大学院工学系研究科の酒井康行です．微力ながら，本学会のより一層の活発化と持続的な発展に努めます．会員の皆様にはよろしくお願い申し上げます．
さて，本学会は、国際協調の下、動物実験の適切な施行の国際原則である 3Rs (Reduction = 動物数の削減，Refinement = 動物に対する苦痛軽減，Replacement= 動物を用いない代替法への置換)の推進と普及を目的とし、動物実験代替法にかかわる研究、開発、教育、調査，標準化等を推進及び支援するとともに、その成果の普及を行うことを目的としています（定款第３条）．1989年の学会発足から今日まで，極めて多様な専門領域の産官学研究者が，それぞれの分野を大きく超えて集い，真摯に議論してきています．このような本学会の歴史と風土を大切に継承しつつ，3Rsを巡る世界状況の変化の中で引き続き本学会の持続可能な発展を達成するために，「アジアおよび世界でのプレゼンスの確保」，「次世代の育成」，「国内での3Rsの普及と連携」の３つに特に力を注いていきたいと考えています．なお，2026年度事業計画はホームページをご参照ください．
「アジアおよび世界でのプレゼンスの確保」については，2024年12月に発足しましたアジア代替法学会連盟の活動を引き続きリードするとともに，3Rs発祥の地である欧米の歴史ある学会とアジアとの連携の結節点となるべく活動を推進して参ります．まずは，アジア会議の継続的な開催，欧米の学会との交流，それらの活動を通じたアジア地域の次世代コミュニティーの形成促進を行います．またAATEX誌のアジア連盟公式雑誌への発展も目指します．当面は，2027年8月15～19日にソウルで行われる第14回世界代替法学会大会や2028年初夏に日本で開催が予定されている第5回アジア代替法会議の成功と，それらを通じたアジア連盟とアジア地域の3Rs研究のアピールに，注力します．並行して，各国または欧米の学会への相互派遣の促進を通じて，アジア・欧米の次世代の交流を促進します．さらには，現在の加盟国である日本・中国・インド・韓国・スリランカに加え，アジア各国の代替法コミュニティーの構築とアジア連盟への加盟を促進していきたいとも考えています．「次世代の育成」については，引き続き有望な若手研究者の組織化と登用を積極的に進めるのと同時に，アジアや欧米との交流の場への参加を促進していきたいと考えています．「国内での3Rsの普及と連携」については，現在，3Rs関連の学会と共同で進めております国内での3Rsの更なる普及のための活動をより一層強化します．
さて近年，欧州を中心に動物を用いないあらゆる手法が”New Approach Methodologies (NAMs)”と呼ばれ，それに基づいた新たなヒト影響評価手法体系である”Next Generation Risk Assessment (NGRA)”が提唱されるに至り，世界的にも揺り戻しのできない極めて大きな流れになっています．この対象は化粧品や化学物質だけではなく，食品や医薬品・医療機器への急速に拡大しています．しかしながら，現状の学術水準では，ヒトへの影響評価をこれらの手法のみで行うことには困難があり，どうしても全身影響の観測が可能な動物試験を実施せざるを得ません．一方，動物実験での学術的・技術的進歩も著しく今後はNAMsやNGRAとより一層相補的に働くことで，より正しい人体の理解・影響評価に繋がるものと確信しています．代替法学会は，少子化が進む日本にておいて依然として会員増が見られている稀有な学術団体であり，これは社会から求められる学融合とその成果を通じた社会への寄与が大きく期待されていることの現れであると認識しています．引き続き，「3Rsの推進と普及」に関心のある皆さまのご入会や大会へのご参加を心からお待ちしております。
今後数年会はJSAAEのその後の持続的な発展とって重要な期間といえます．会の目的達成のためには理事や各委員会のみの力では全く不十分であり，企業や各種団体の方々や，代議員や会員の方々のお力添えが不可欠です．皆様方，ますますお仕事がお忙しくなられているかとは存じますが，できる限りのご協力をお願いしたいと存じます．
それでは，2026-2027年度の２年間，どうぞよろしくお願い申し上げます．
2026年3月
Message from the President of the Japanese Society for Alternatives to Animal Experiments (JSAAE)
I am Yasuyuki Sakai of the Graduate School of Engineering at the University of Tokyo, and I am honored to serve as President of the Japanese Society for Alternatives to Animal Experiments (JSAAE) for the 2026–2027 term. I will do my utmost to further invigorate and ensure the sustainable development of this Society. I look forward to your continued support.
Our Society aims to promote and disseminate the 3Rs—the international principles for the proper conduct of animal experimentation (Reduction, reducing the number of animals; Refinement, minimizing animal suffering; Replacement, replacing animal-based methods with alternatives)—through international cooperation. We strive to promote and support research, development, education, investigation, and standardization related to alternative methods to animal experimentation, as well as to disseminate the results of these efforts (Article 3 of the Articles of JSAAE Incorporation). Since the Society’s founding in 1989, researchers from industry, government, and academia across an extremely diverse range of specialized fields have gathered, transcending the boundaries of their respective disciplines, to engage in earnest discussion. While cherishing and preserving the history and culture of our Society, and to achieve its sustainable development amidst the changing global landscape surrounding the 3Rs concept, I intend to focus our efforts particularly on three areas: “Establishing a Presence in Asia and Globally,” “Nurturing the Next Generation,” and “Promoting the 3Rs and Fostering Collaboration Domestically.” Please refer to our website for the FY2026 Action Plan.
Regarding “Establishing a Presence in Asia and Globally,” we will continue to lead the activities of the Asian Federation of Societies for Alternatives to Animal Experiments (AFSAAE), which was launched in December 2024, and promote activities aimed at serving as a hub for collaboration between Asia and the historic societies in Europe and the United States, the birthplace of the 3Rs concept. First, we will continue to hold Asian conferences, foster exchanges with European and American societies, and promote the formation of a next-generation community in the Asian region through these activities. We also aim to develop the AATEX journal into the official journal of the Asian Federation. For the time being, we will focus on the success of the 14th World Congress on Alternatives and Animal Use in the Life Sciences (WC14), to be held in Seoul from August 15–19, 2027, and the 5th Asian Conference on Alternative Law, scheduled to be held in Japan in early summer 2028, as well as on promoting the Asian Federation and 3Rs research in the Asian region through these events. Concurrently, we will promote exchanges between the next generation in Asia and the West by facilitating mutual exchanges with academic societies in various countries, as well as in Europe and the United States. Furthermore, in addition to our current member countries—Japan, China, India, South Korea, and Sri Lanka—we intend to promote the establishment of alternative research communities in other Asian countries and encourage their membership in the Asian Federation. Regarding “Nurturing the Next Generation,” we intend to continue actively organizing and recruiting promising young researchers while encouraging their participation in exchange programs with Asia, Europe, and the United States. Regarding “Promoting the 3Rs and Collaboration Domestically,” we will further strengthen the activities currently being carried out in collaboration with 3Rs-related academic societies to further promote the 3Rs within Japan.
In recent years, particularly in Europe, all non-animal methods have come to be referred to as “New Approach Methodologies (NAMs),” and a new human impact assessment framework based on these, known as “Next Generation Risk Assessment (NGRA),” has been proposed, being an irreversible and massive global trend. The scope of this trend is rapidly expanding beyond cosmetics and chemicals to include food, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices. However, given the current state of scientific knowledge, it is difficult to assess human health effects using these methods alone, making it necessary to conduct animal tests capable of observing systemic effects. On the other hand, significant academic and technical progress has been made in animal experimentation, and we are confident that, by working even more complementarily with NAMs and NGRA in the future, this will lead to a more accurate understanding of the human body and more precise risk assessment. JSAAE is a rare academic society that continues to see an increase in membership despite Japan’s declining birthrate. We recognize this as a sign that society has high expectations for our interdisciplinary research and the contributions we can make through its outcomes. We sincerely look forward to welcoming new members and welcoming everyone interested in “promoting and disseminating the 3Rs” to join us and participate in our conferences.
The next few years will be a critical period for the continued sustainable development of the JSAAE. To achieve the Society’s objectives, the efforts of the Board of Directors and individual committees alone are entirely insufficient; the support of representatives from companies and various organizations, as well as our delegates and members, is indispensable. I am aware that your work schedules are becoming increasingly busy, but I ask for your cooperation to the best of your ability.
With that, I look forward to your continued support during the 2026–2027 term.
March 2026
