It is our great pleasure to realize this special issue celebrating the 80^th birthday of Professor Takeshi Endo, who has just started his new full professor position at Kyushu Institute of Technology following successive positions at Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yamagata University, and Kindai University. Included in this special issue are 32 papers by some of the distinguished international polymer scientists who have been inspired by Professor Endo. Over his long and successful career, there is no doubt that Professor Endo has completed ground-breaking studies in the area of polymer synthesis. It is also interesting to note that the most major journal for his publications is this journal, J. Polym. Sci. Part A: Polym. Chem., in which he has published over 430 articles.

Professor Endo was born in 1939, raised in Kagoshima, received his doctorate degree from Tokyo Institute of Technology in 1969, and joined the Tokyo Institute of Technology as an assistant professor. He later joined Prof. William J. Bailey's group in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Maryland, USA, as a Postdoctoral Fellow (1978–1979). After his experience as an associate professor, Professor Endo was promoted to full professor in 1986. Until his retirement from the Tokyo Institute of Technology in 2000, Professor Endo also served as a Director of Chemical Resources Laboratories for 9 years. In 2000, Professor Endo moved to Yamagata University as a full professor and simultaneously served as a full professor at Kindai University. Until his second retirement (from Yamagata University), Professor Endo also served as a Dean of the Faculty of Engineering (2001–2004) and a Vice President of Yamagata University (2004–2005). In 2005, he moved fully to the Molecular Engineering Institute at Kindai University. Until his third retirement from Kindai University in 2019, Professor Endo also served as a Director of the Molecular Engineering Institute and a Vice President of Kindai University. In 2019, he has moved once again and opened a new laboratory at Kyushu Institute of Technology where he has reinitiated challenging and innovative research as a full professor.

Professor Endo's numerous achievements in polymer chemistry are concerned with the creation of polymer synthetic methods, macromolecular architectures, and unique functional materials that are always based on his firm knowledge of organic chemistry. Of special note are Professor Endo's pioneering works related to the ring-opening polymerizations of bicyclic and spirocyclic monomers and cyclic carbonates which opened a new field of research, the polymerization accompanying the volume expansion; this conceptual work has sparked growing interest and has been industrialized. The latent catalysts for ionic polymerizations, which exhibit no activity under ambient conditions but excellent activity under external stimuli such as heat and light, have been developed on the basis of the rational molecular design, and are highly important for the precision control of the curing process of epoxy resin. Professor Endo's outstanding achievements also cover the areas of chemical recycling processes based on equilibrium polymerizations, fixation of carbon dioxide into polymeric materials, precision ring-opening polymerization of functional monomers including benzoxazine, functional materials derived from α-amino acids where he also developed his own phosgene-free synthetic method of NCA, and many others. Through these polymer synthesis studies, he has contributed significantly to both the scientific aspects of polymer chemistry and the industrial applications. Professor Endo has also published over 1250 original scientific papers, 230 review articles, 230 books, and 480 patents. His world-class status is also recognized by the numerous plenary, keynote, and invited lectures he has given. More importantly, through these challenging research works, Professor Endo has mentored many young researchers, including 121 people who obtained their doctorate degree under his supervision and more than 60 people who went on to obtain positions in academia.

For these outstanding achievements in polymer chemistry, Professor Endo has received many awards, including: the Award of the Society of Polymer Science, Japan (1984); the Academic Award of the Chemical Society of Japan (1988); the Academic Award of the Society of Network Polymer, Japan (1995); the Mukai Award of the Tokyo Ohka Foundation for the Promotion of Science and Technology (1998); the Technology Award of the Chemical Society of Japan (2000); the Best Paper Awards of the Adhesion Society of Japan (1998, 1999, 2000, 2002); the Award of the Adhesion Society of Japan (2002); an SPSJ Award for Outstanding Achievement in Polymer Science and Technology (2007); and a Research Achievement Award of Research Association for Feedstock Recycling of Plastics Japan (2014). With his excellent leadership, Professor Endo was elected and made important contributions as a President of the Society of Polymer Science, Japan (2002–2004), an Editor-in-chief of J. Adhesion Soc. Jpn (1997–2000), and an Editor-in-chief of J. Network Polym. Jpn (1993-present). He also organized many international symposia such as the 11th International Conference on Advanced Polymers via Macromolecular Engineering (APME 2015) in Yokohama.

As mentioned above, Professor Endo is a pioneering individual who has created and contributed to the growth of many important research fields in polymer chemistry as well as chemical industries. His activity, leadership, and personality have also contributed significantly to the development of the polymer community and young scientists not only in Japan but also all over the world.

Professor Endo often enthusiastically plays sports and enjoys discussing professional sports such as Judo wrestling, tennis, and baseball games. He also loves to sing at Karaoke parties. These traits, as well as many other engaging features of Professor Endo's personality, attract people worldwide to work, collaborate, and study with him.

We sincerely thank all the authors for their great contributions to celebrate Professor Endo's 80^th birthday and hope that he continues to contribute to polymer science for many years to come.

Endo-sensei, Omedetou Gozaimasu!

继东京工业大学、山形大学和近代大学的历任教授后，刚刚开始在九州工业大学担任正教授的远藤武教授 80 岁诞辰^特刊发表，我们感到非常高兴。本期特刊收录了受远藤教授启发的国际知名高分子科学家的 32 篇论文。在他漫长而成功的职业生涯中，Endo 教授毫无疑问在聚合物合成领域完成了开创性的研究。值得注意的是，他的出版物最主要的期刊是这本期刊，J. Polym。科学。A 部分：聚合物。Chem .，他在其中发表了 430 多篇文章。

远藤教授1939年出生，在鹿儿岛长大，1969年在东京工业大学获得博士学位，后加入东京工业大学担任助理教授。后来他加入了美国马里兰大学化学系 William J. Bailey 教授的团队，担任博士后研究员（1978-1979）。在经历了副教授的经历后，远藤教授于 1986 年晋升为正教授。直到 2000 年从东京工业大学退休，远藤教授还担任了 9 年的化学资源实验室主任。2000年远藤教授调任山形大学正教授，同时兼任近代大学正教授。直到他第二次退休（从山形大学），远藤教授还担任过工学部院长（2001-2004）和山形大学副校长（2004-2005）。2005年，他完全搬到了近代大学分子工程研究所。直到 2019 年第三次从近代大学退休，远藤教授还担任过分子工程研究所所长和近代大学副校长。2019年，他再次搬家，在九州工业大学开设了新实验室，以正教授的身份重新开始了具有挑战性和创新性的研究。远藤教授还曾担任分子工程研究所所长和近代大学副校长。2019年，他再次搬家，在九州工业大学开设了新实验室，以正教授的身份重新开始了具有挑战性和创新性的研究。远藤教授还曾担任分子工程研究所所长和近代大学副校长。2019年，他再次搬家，在九州工业大学开设了新实验室，以正教授的身份重新开始了具有挑战性和创新性的研究。

Endo 教授在高分子化学方面的众多成就涉及聚合物合成方法、大分子结构和独特功能材料的创造，这些都是基于他对有机化学的扎实知识。特别值得一提的是远藤教授在双环和螺环单体以及环状碳酸酯的开环聚合方面的开创性工作，这开辟了一个新的研究领域，即伴随体积膨胀的聚合; 这项概念性工作引起了越来越多的兴趣，并已实现工业化。离子聚合潜催化剂在环境条件下无活性，但在热和光等外部刺激下具有优异的活性，是在分子设计合理的基础上开发出来的，对固化过程的精确控制具有重要意义环氧树脂。远藤教授的杰出成就还包括基于平衡聚合的化学回收工艺、将二氧化碳固定在聚合物材料中、功能单体（包括苯并恶嗪）的精密开环聚合、α-氨基酸衍生的功能材料等领域，他还开发了自己的NCA的无光气合成方法等。通过这些聚合物合成研究，他对高分子化学的科学方面和工业应用做出了重大贡献。远藤教授还发表了 1250 多篇原创科学论文、230 篇评论文章、230 本书和 480 项专利。他的世界级地位也得到了他举办的众多全体会议、主题演讲和特邀演讲的认可。更重要的是，远藤教授通过这些具有挑战性的研究工作，指导了许多年轻的研究人员，其中有121人在他的指导下获得了博士学位，还有60多人在学术界获得了职位。他的世界级地位也得到了他举办的众多全体会议、主题演讲和特邀演讲的认可。更重要的是，远藤教授通过这些具有挑战性的研究工作，指导了许多年轻的研究人员，其中有121人在他的指导下获得了博士学位，还有60多人在学术界获得了职位。他的世界级地位也得到了他举办的众多全体会议、主题演讲和特邀演讲的认可。更重要的是，远藤教授通过这些具有挑战性的研究工作，指导了许多年轻的研究人员，其中有121人在他的指导下获得了博士学位，还有60多人在学术界获得了职位。

由于这些高分子化学方面的杰出成就，远藤教授获得了许多奖项，其中包括：日本高分子科学学会奖（1984 年）；日本化学会学术奖（1988年）；日本网络聚合物学会学术奖（1995 年）；东京大贺科学技术振兴财团向海奖（1998年）；日本化学会技术奖（2000年）；日本粘合学会最佳论文奖（1998、1999、2000、2002）；日本粘合学会奖（2002 年）；SPSJ 高分子科学与技术杰出成就奖（2007 年）；和日本塑料原料回收研究协会的研究成果奖（2014 年）。凭借他出色的领导能力，J.附着力协会。Jpn (1997–2000)， J. Network Polym的主编。日本（1993 年至今）。他还组织了许多国际研讨会，例如在横滨举行的第 11 届高分子工程先进聚合物国际会议 (APME 2015)。

如上所述，远藤教授是一位开创性的个人，他创造并促进了高分子化学和化学工业中许多重要研究领域的发展。他的活动、领导能力和个性也为日本乃至全世界的聚合物界和年轻科学家的发展做出了重大贡献。

远藤教授经常热衷于运动，喜欢讨论柔道摔跤、网球和棒球等职业运动。他还喜欢在卡拉 OK 派对上唱歌。这些特质，以及远藤教授性格中的许多其他引人入胜的特征，吸引着世界各地的人们与他一起工作、合作和学习。

我们衷心感谢所有作者为庆祝远藤教授 80 岁生日所做的巨大贡献，^并希望他在未来的许多年里继续为高分子科学做出贡献。

远藤老师， Omedetou Gozaimasu！