KYOTO /JAPAN/, October 5. /TASS/. The eleventh annual meeting of the Science and Technology in Society (STS) international forum opened in Kyoto on Sunday.

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe welcomed the audience.

“I admire all of you, those who promote innovations,” he said. The prime minister said he wanted to make “Japan a global leader in the innovation technologies.” In the keynote speech he promised in 2015 on sale in Japan will be first cars using hydrogen fuel, where the main advantage is the total absence of harmful emissions due to absence of combustion phase.

Founder and Chairman of Science and Technology in Society Forum Koji Omi expressed hope the participants will have discussions “not only as scientists, businesses or politicians, but as regular people, concerned about future of the Earth and the mankind.”

“I hope we all shall remember the forum,” he said, adding Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had agreed to be honourable chairman of the forum.

The event features over one thousand scientists, politicians and businesses from over a hundred countries.

Russia is represented by ROSNANO’s head Anatoliy Chubais, who is an often guest to Kyoto, and Skolvovo innovation centre’s head Viktor Vekselberg. Chubais will chair a plenary session - Innovations and Society, and Vekselberg will participate in a discussion Research & Innovations. The forum organisers have always favoured the Russian participation in the event. Russia “has a huge potential,” the forum’s founder and chairman said.

The Science and Technology in Society

The Science and Technology in Society (STS) forum aims to provide a new mechanism for open discussions on an informal basis, and to build a human network that would, in time, resolve the new types of problems stemming from the application of science and technology. The forum community will also explore the opportunities arising from science and technology, and address how to remove the barriers to using science and technology to solve the problems facing humankind. This forum is not necessarily a platform for specialists to unilaterally convey their knowledge, but rather an opportunity for real dialogue among peers. Participants should also undertake cross-border activities towards the establishment of shared values and commitment for the future, the organisers write on the event’s site.