On the Occasion of ICRQE2021
Kazutaka Hamada of RQES, Co-Organizing Committee ChairICRQE (International Conference on Robust Quality Engineering) is the only
conference on Robust Quality Engineering held in English in Asia. It has been held
twice in Malaysia and twice in India since 2013.
We are pleased to announce that the 5th ICRQE will be held in Japan, hosted by
RQES (Robust Quality Engineering Society). I would like to briefly introduce thehistory and activities of RQES, as I am sure that some of the participants fromoverseas may not be familiar with RQES.

History of RQESIn Japan, Quality Engineering Forum was established in 1993 by a group of volunteers
who sympathized with the thoughts and ideas of Dr. Genichi Taguchi, the founder ofRobust Quality Engineering, and who wanted to exchange research results on Robust
Quality Engineering and establish it as an academic discipline.
The Forum was designated as an academic research organization by the Science
Council of Japan(SCJ) in 1996 and changed its name to Robust Quality Engineering
Society (RQES) in 1998. It became a general incorporated association in 2016 andremains so today. RQES will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2022.
 May,1993: “Quality Engineering Forum” was established.
 1996: designated as one of cooperative academic research organizations by theScience Council of Japan (SCJ).
 July,1998 : changed its name to “Robust Quality Engineering Society " September,2016: became a general incorporated association.

Number of members
As of April 2021, we have1,054 individual members, including 21 overseas members(China: 13, USA: 4, Malaysia: 2, Taiwan: 1, Germany: 1).
Honorary members:

11

Regular members (domestic) : 1017
Regular members (overseas) :21

Student members

5:total: 1054Breakdown of 21 overseas members by country
ChinaUSA：13： 4

Malaysia ： 2
Taiwan： 1

Germany: 1

Activities of RQES
RQES is currently promoting various activities for the development, research, and improvement ofspecialized technologies. RQES conducts research, dissemination, presentation, and informationexchange on Robust Quality Engineering, a general-purpose technology, and builds acomprehensive evaluation system. To contribute to the improvement of productivity in society, we
carry out the following activities.
(1) Research and investigation of Robust Quality Engineering, and encouragement and support ofsuch research and investigation
・Systematization of Robust Quality Engineering / Research on methods / Cooperation with local
research groups*, etc.
(2) Dissemination of Robust Quality Engineering, and encouragement and support of it
・Establishment of qualification system / Holding of special Robust Quality Engineering
education courses / Provision of analysis support tools, etc.
(3) Awards for research and dissemination of Robust Quality Engineering and significant
contributions to the society

Activities of RQES
(4) Publication of journals and other publications
・Journals (4 issues/year), etc.
(5) Holding research presentation conferences and research meetings, etc.
・Robust Quality Engineering Research and Presentation Conference (held in June)
・Robust Quality Engineering Technology Strategy Research and Presentation Conference(held in November)・Company exchange meetings (once a year), etc.
・ICRQE (when held in Japan from 2021)(6) Collection and provision of Robust Quality Engineering information
・Electronic publication of papers (J-Stage) https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/browse/qes/-char/ja/(7) Liaison and cooperation with related organizations in Japan and overseas
・Japanese Standards Association(JSA), the Japanese Society for Quality Control(JSQC),
the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), JAXA, etc.

*Cooperation with local research groups （ As of June 30, 2021 ）We are promoting quality engineering in cooperation with 20research groups in Japan and 1 research group in China.

China
QE researchgroup

Hokkaido
Taguchi methods
research group

Hiroshima
QE researchgroup
Kitakyusyu
・・・ authorized
QE researchresearch group
group

Hokuriku
QE researchgroup
KansaiQE researchgroup

Nagano pref.
QE researchgroup

Shiga pref.
QE researchgroup

QE researchgroup
QE Forum
SaitamaRQES◎

Saga pref.
QE researchgroup

TohokuNMSresearchgroup
JSA
QE researchgroup（QRG)

Chubu
Kagawa QE researchQE research
group
group
Hamamatsu
Shizuoka
Yamanashi pref.
Measurement
QE research QE research
QE researchfunction researchgroup
groupgroup
group (MFRG)

Kanagawa
QE researchgroupSignificance of this conference and expectations for it
Through these activities, we've been able to get great results from the use of Robust
Quality Engineering in many fields. Unfortunately, however, much of this information
has not been shared outside of Japan. I believe that globalization of activities isessential and holding ICRQE2021 hosted by RQES will serve as an opportunity topromote globalization.
Four keynotes and 21 case studies will be presented at this conference. Although theconference will be held entirely online, recording and distributing presentations, webbased questions and discussions, and LIVE discussions are effective ways to holdglobal conferences. I hope that this conference will be successful and continue toexpand and develop as a forum for research presentations and information exchange
on Robust Quality Engineering on a global scale.