Speech by Toyosaburo Taniguchi Dr. Kubo, Distinguished Guests, and Friends, I am very happy and pleased to be here this evening with so many distinguished gu~sts, friends, and scholars from within this country and from different parts of the world. The Taniguchi Foundation wishes to extend a wann and sincere welcome to the many participants in the Eleventh International Symposium on the Theory of Condensed Matter. This symposium series was inaugurated ten years ago through the great efforts of Dr. Ryogo Kubo, who is gracing us today with his presence. We are deeply indebted to Dr. Kubo and his associates, who have devoted an enormous amount of time and effort to making this particular symposium possible. We are convinced that what makes our symposia a success is neither the Foundation nor its founder. The success is entirely due, I feel, to the continuous efforts of the Organizing Committee and of all those who have lent their support to this program. In this sense, any words of praise about the symposium should be directed to all of them.