Establishment of "Physics Day

March 2025 The Physical Society of Japan

The Physical Society of Japan has designated November 3 as "Physics Day" to promote physics to the general public and young people and to increase awareness of physics among them. The week that includes this day is Physics Week, and the month of November is designated as Physics Month, during which not only the Society's headquarters but also its chapters, regions, and committees will take the initiative in conducting various outreach activities.

On November 3, 1949, the Nobel Prize was awarded to Hideki Yukawa. He was the first Japanese ever to receive the prize. Also, the atomic number of nihonium, an element discovered in Japan and listed on the periodic table, is 113. Thus, November 3 was designated as Physics Day because it is a memorable day for physics in Japan. We hope that this day will be long loved as a place for the development, popularization, and enlightenment of physics.

Physics Day public solicitation and establishment process

The 80th Board of Directors of the Society, on a proposal from the Temporary Committee on Commemorative Events, resolved at its September 2024 meeting to establish a "Day of Physics". The purpose of this resolution was to commemorate the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology as designated by the United Nations and UNESCO (commemorating the 100th anniversary of the paper on matrix mechanics by Heisenberg et al.) in 2025, the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Society in 2026, the Tokyo Mathematical Society (later to become the Physico-Mathematical Society of Japan ) in 2027 The year 2026 will mark the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Society, and 2027 will mark the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Tokyo Mathematical Society (later to become the Physico-Mathematical Society of Japan). To commemorate these anniversaries, a new ad hoc committee for commemorative projects has been established to plan a variety of commemorative events. As a part of these activities, "Physics Day" has been established, with the hope that it will remain as a focal point for physics awareness activities long after the above commemorative year has ended.

The purpose of this enactment is to further stimulate awareness of the relationship between physics and society among junior high school, high school, and university students, as well as the general public.

From October to December 2024, we solicited nominations from our members and alumni, and in December 2024, we asked you to vote on 13 nominated dates, which were selected by the Board of Directors based on the 202 submissions. The Board of Directors discussed and approved the results of the ballot and established "November 3" as "Physics Day".

On March 14, 2025, "Physics Day" was registered with the Japan Anniversary Association.

WE WILL POST THE LATEST INFORMATION ON ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THE "DAY OF PHYSICS" ON THE PHYSICAL SOCIETY OF JAPAN AND THE OFFICIAL SNS OF THE SOCIETY.

Call for candidate dates for proposals from members and alumni for the establishment of "Physics Day