France-Japan workshop held at Sorbonne University

The "France-Japan Workshop on Optoelectronics & Photonics" was held over two days, May 21–22, 2026, at Sorbonne University in Paris, France.

The workshop served as the kickoff event for the Organic Photonics and Electronics International Laboratory (OPHELIA), an international joint research laboratory established by Kyushu University and the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS). Co-directors of OPHELIA, Distinguished Professor Chihaya Adachi from Kyushu University and Dr. Fabrice Mathevet from the CNRS/Sorbonne University led the event, which brought together researchers from Japan and France.

Opening remarks were delivered by Sophie GUILLAUME, Deputy Scientific Director, the CNRS Chemistry, and Rodrigue Lescouezec, Chair of the Scientific Council of the Faculty of Chemistry, Sorbonne University. On behalf of Kyushu University, Executive Vice President for Research Jun Tanimoto expressed gratitude to the organizers and guests and conveyed expectations for future Japan-France collaboration through OPHELIA.

Approximately 30 researchers from Japan and France, including doctoral students, participated in the workshop. Presentations covered the latest research findings in optoelectronics, photonics, organic semiconductors, and molecular materials. Each presentation was followed by lively discussion, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and networking that are expected to lead to future collaborative research.

Representatives from the Embassy of Japan in France, the JSPS Strasbourg Office, and the JST Paris Office also attended, making the workshop a meaningful occasion from the perspectives of industry-academia-government collaboration and international partnerships.

Building on the momentum of this workshop, OPHELIA will continue to advance new international collaborative research in organic photonics and electronics and the development of next-generation researchers by combining the strengths of Japan and France. The lab aims to strengthen and expand collaboration with European universities and research institutions, including the CNRS, and to build international research networks through researcher exchanges and joint projects, with France as a central hub. Kyushu University will also actively pursue large-scale international research initiatives, working toward establishing itself as a world-class research hub in organic photonics and electronics.

• Kyushu University signs agreement with CNRS to establish OPHELIA, the international joint research laboratory
• Professor Chihaya Adachi appointed as a CNRS Fellow-Ambassador at the French National Centre for Scientific Research