Congress Information

DATES

May 25-27, 2018 (Fri-Sun)

VENUE

Osaka International Convention Center
5-3-51 Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka City 530-0005, Japan

LANGUAGE

Japanese
*Simultaneous translation into English and Japanese provided during certain sessions.

CHAIRMAN

Hidekazu Yamada, MD, PhD
Professor, Department of Dermatology, Nara Hospital Kindai University Faculty of Medicine; Deputy Director, Anti-Aging Center, Kindai University

CONGRESS SECRETARIAT

MediProduce, Inc.
2-26-35 8F, Minamiaoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0062, Japan
Phone: +81-3-5775-2075 Fax: +81-3-5775-2076
Email: 18jaam@mediproduce.com

General Information

CLIMATE

The temperature in Osaka during the period of the conference ranges between 16 – 25℃.

LOCAL TIME

Japan Standard Time is GMT+9. The time difference for major cities is shown below.

Beijing: -1 hour Los Angeles: -17 hours London: +9 hours New Delhi: -3.5 hours New York: -14 hours Seoul: 0 (same) Singapore: -1 hour Sydney: +1 hour

ELECTRICITY

Electric current is uniformly 100 volts AC throughout Japan but with two different cycles: 50 in eastern Japan including Tokyo and Yokohama and 60 in western Japan including Kyoto, Osaka and Nara. Leading hotels in major cities have two outlets of 100 and 230 volts. However, the sockets usually only accept two-leg plugs.

PASSPORT AND VISAS

To visit Japan, you must have a valid passport. A visa is required for citizens of countries that do not have visa exemption agreements with Japan. Please contact the nearest Japanese embassy or consulate for visa requirements.

CURRENCY

Currency in Japan is the yen (JPY). Notes are available in denominations of 10,000, 5,000, 2,000 and 1,000 yen. Coins are minted in denominations of 500, 100, 50, 10, and 1 yen. Exchange at the airport is recommended for your convenience. Most foreign currencies and travelers' checks can be exchanged at authorized foreign exchange banks and hotels. However, we highly recommend purchasing travelers' checks or cash in yen before leaving your home country. A passport may be required for currency exchange services.

CREDIT CARDS

American Express, Diners Club, Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted at hotels, department stores, shops, and restaurants.

BANKS

Banks are open from Monday to Friday from 09:00 - 15:00, and you can exchange money at foreign exchange banks, but there are not many of them. Instead, you can withdraw JPY cash from ATM machines in convenience stores such as Seven-Eleven.

TIPPING

There is no custom of tipping in Japan. Instead, at high class restaurants, bars and hotels, a 10% service charge is usually added to the bill.

SHOPPING

Shops and malls in Japan are generally open on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays as well as weekdays from 10:00 to 20:00. Department stores, however, are closed on one weekday differing by store, and certain specialty shops may not open on Sundays and national holidays.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

For general transport, taxis are plentiful but also the most expensive. Public transportation is convenient, including JR and the Sapporo Municipal Subway.

ABOUT OSAKA

Osaka is located in the Kansai region and is the third largest city in Japan. It has a unique culture that differs significantly from Tokyo and is known in particular for its comedians. Osaka also has great food that represents the flavor of western Japan and is referred to as the "nation's kitchen".

OSAKA TOURIST INFORMATION

English
Japanese
Traditional Chinese
Simplified Chinese
Korean
Thai

HIGHLIGHTS

Dotonbori Dotonbori could be called the center of downtown Osaka. There are many exciting things to do as well as great nightlife. The Glico runner featured in the photo is an icon of Osaka.

Osaka Castle Osaka Castle is another symbol of Osaka and is located in central Osaka. Built in the 16th century, its green roofs make it memorable. Occasionally there are light ups of the castle at night.

Umeda Sky Building The Umeda Sky Building stands because of its one-of-a-kind architecture. It has 40 stories and offers great views of Osaka, especially at night.

Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan The Kaiyukan is a famous aquarium in Osaka. It showcases 620 different species in 11,000 tons of water. The concept of the aquarium is the connection that all living beings share.

Abeno Harukasu Abeno Harukasu is the tallest building in Japan. Newly built in 2014, it soars 300m in the sky and provides stunning views of Osaka.

NEARBY TOURISM OPPORTUNITIES

Kyoto Kyoto is the traditional city in Japan and a must-visit for tourists. It is the home of countless temples and shrines, including the Golden Pavilion (featured in the photo). If you stroll the streets of Gion, you might even get a chance to meet a real geisha (maiko).

Nara While not as famous as Kyoto, Nara also offers many traditional sights of Japan including Todaiji (see photo). Next to Todaiji is Nara Park, which hosts more than 1,200 deer that guests can feed.

Takeda Castle Ruins The Takeda Castle Ruins are located in northern Hyogo prefecture (west of Osaka Prefecture). It is called the "Machu Picchu of Japan", and if you come in the morning, you may even get to see a castle float among the clouds.