Spintronics research emerged in the 1990s, has evolved throughout two decades, and still continues to grow. Japanese researchers have historically led this field, and the major participants in this innovative research area have made significant contributions in terms of intriguing physical phenomena such as the spin Hall effect, inverse Faraday effect and spin Seebeck effect. Another outcome of spintronics research has been the concept of spin current, which has been established among the community of solid-state research. The concept of spin current has since been extended and is recognized as an angular momentum flow including spin waves, circularly polarized light and mechanical vibration.

In this innovative research area, we focus on the itinerant and localized electron spins, phonons, and photons to explore and establish the principles of novel conversion mechanisms. Moreover, we aim to propose novel concepts and methods that are based on well-established physics, and finally to develop a spin conversion physics theory that can meet requests from industry. Ideally, we will present research outcomes that can contribute to building new paradigms for the development of practical devices and energy harvesting.

To maintain the future activity of this field, the education and securing of young talented researchers is considered to be an important and high priority. In addition to the securing of human resources in Japan and improvement of research performance, the fostering of top-level researchers that will contribute to innovative progress will be promoted. From a long-term perspective, we consider that educating talented young researchers in this research area, not only from Japan where we endure an aging society and science phobia, but also from overseas, and their promotion worldwide would offer a route to make Japan the world-leading country in the fields of advanced basic science and technologies, which are related to this innovative research area.

Finally, I sincerely hope that this research area will create outcomes that will make significant contributions to society and will stimulate further growth.