The symposium was established by Professor Tetsuo Nozoe in 1970 as International Symposium on Nonbenzenoid Aromatic Compounds. However, not only the name but also the aim of the Symposium was changed as the new chemistry of aromatic compounds evolved in many fields of science and technology. Now the goal of this Symposium is to further elucidate fundamental principles of synthesis and properties of novel aromatic compounds, and to extend the application of ?-conjugated systems in general to a wider area of molecular science such as electronics and biology.