I am honored to introduce myself as Haruo Kawamoto, who has been appointed as the third President of the Lignin Society. Following in the distinguished footsteps of our founding President, Professor Toshiaki Umezawa, and our second President, Professor Kazuhiko Fukushima, I assume this significant responsibility with profound respect and determination. I pledge to uphold the foundation that has been meticulously built through the dedicated efforts of both predecessors and all related parties, and to contribute wholeheartedly to the further advancement of our society.

The Lignin Society was established in 2018, building upon the foundation of the “Lignin Chemistry Symposium“ that began in 1956 and subsequently evolved into the “Lignin Symposium“. Inheriting the spirit of these symposiums, which have served as vital platforms for the development of lignin research and academic exchange over many years, our society received recognition as a cooperating academic research organization by the Science Council of Japan in 2022. We publish the academic journal *Lignin* and make research papers and reviews widely accessible through our society website and J-STAGE, thereby endeavoring to disseminate research findings and accumulate scientific knowledge. Furthermore, the “Lignin Symposium“ continues as our annual conference, and every five years, we host the *International Lignin Symposium* as an international meeting. In 2024, we successfully held the second international conference in Kyoto, featuring vibrant presentations and discussions by over 190 domestic and international researchers, achieving remarkable outcomes.

More than a quarter-century has passed since the urgent need to address global warming was first recognized, and the utilization of renewable, non-edible biomass resources, particularly woody biomass, has garnered increasing attention as essential for achieving carbon neutrality. Lignin, positioned at the center of this paradigm, has witnessed rapid expansion of application research beyond traditional lignin studies, encompassing diverse fields such as materials science, energy, and environmental science. We believe that providing meaningful information and opportunities for exchange to those who have not previously been involved in lignin research represents a crucial role for our society moving forward.

From this perspective, our society organizes two special seminars annually. These events are offered free of charge to our members and are designed to accommodate not only highly specialized discussions but also students and newcomers to lignin research. We welcome broad participation from non-members as well. Additionally, we are currently advancing the publication of a comprehensive book on “Lignin Science“, which is expected to be released in the near future.

Looking ahead, we intend to preserve the spirit of free and vigorous discussion that has characterized our society while expanding collaboration with researchers from diverse fields, industry professionals, and government officials. Working together with Vice Presidents Professor Tatsuhiko Yamada and Professor Shinya Kajita, along with our board of directors and councilors, I am committed to implementing flexible and cooperative society management that emphasizes dialogue.

In closing, I sincerely request the continued support and cooperation of all our members.