With the aim of the development of catalysis science contributing to "Dream-Inspiring Innovation", Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. has been organizing "The Mitsui Chemicals International Symposium on Catalysis Science (MICS)" since 2003. The themes of the first and second Symposiums were "Advanced Catalysts for Polymers" and "Green Catalysts for Specialty Chemicals", respectively. Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. invited the world-renowned scientists in the field of catalysis science namely Professor Ryoji Noyori, Professor Jean-Marie Lehn, Professor K. Barry Sharpless and Professor Richard R. Schrock to deliver lectures and to engage in lively discussions.

The Third Mitsui Chemicals International Symposium, MICS2007, with the theme of "Polymerization Catalysis: Current Status and Future Prospects" is to discuss the current status and the future prospects of polymerization catalysis and its contribution to the creation of new functional materials. The Nobel Prize Laureates in Chemistry, Professor Jean-Marie Lehn (Louis Pasteur University in France), Professor Robert H. Grubbs (California Institute of Technology in the U.S.A.) and Professor Richard R. Schrock (Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the U.S.A.) will deliver the plenary and special lectures.

I hope this Symposium will be a venue for an intellectual exchange of ideas on catalysis science from experts gathered from around the world and that it creates new fields of knowledge. We are delighted to invite people to attend MICS2007.