The Japanese Association for Developmental and Comparative Immunology (JADCI) was first established in 1989 as an independent organization, although its original had been organized as a satellite symposium of the Zoological Society of Japan since 1976. Thereafter, the scientific meeting is held annually to advance the studies on developmental and comparative immunology. The aim of JADCI is first to precisely understand the host defense mechanisms of animals and plants including self/nonself-discrimination and nonself-elimination through a scientific means of the ‘ comparison ‘ and second to elucidate the speciality or generality in the immunity by which the organisms can eliminate the foreign objects.
The JADCI has greatly contributed to the progress in the comparative immunology in co-operation with the International Society of Developmental and Comparative Immunology (ISDCI), and had abstracts of the annual scientific meeting published in an international journal Developmental and Comparative Immunology until 1998. Then, the JADCI activity has been introduced in the journal as a meeting report. The JADCI also aims at a mutual communication with the immunological researchers in Asia and Oceania regions as well as with the ISDCI by playing an essential role in advancing the original research in the areas of development of the immune system and comparative immunology. Additionally, the JADCI holds an annual symposium in collaboration with the Japanese Society of Comparative Physiology and Biochemistry and the Japanese Society of Comparative Endocrinology to verify the mechanisms of biofunctions of organisms by means of comparison.