Hearing from Ms. Kayao Katsuta that the Japan Logotherapist Association (JLA) was to be established in Japan, I extend my heartfelt congratulations.

During I was active as a therapist, Logptherapy associations were founded in many countries: the U.S.A., Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Israel, Germany, Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, Italy, Slovenia and my home country, Austria. They have been developing in various ways.

All of those organizations that are based on Frankl’s original thoughts and developed them in line with new challenges and academic knowledge of the era have been growing successfully. In contrast, organizations that mixed Frankl’s thought, even partly, with conflicting ideas of philosophy or psychology, have gradually lost influences on the outside communities and have been caught up in the tide of the times over time.

I parabolize these experiences as follows: once planted, flowering trees will sprout numerous leaves and flowers for ever unless their roots are cut off. But if their roots are damaged, the trees will die down.

Therefore I sincerely hope the JLA to be successful in followings: not to damage but uphold and spread dignified human image in Logotherapy; and to use logotherapy’s effective techniques for those suffering from a crisis and requiring any help.

We are living on the earth that are amid a large-scale civil revolution today. The possibility of electronics is expanding rapidly even beyond our imagination of fantasy.

Nevertheless (or therefore perhaps) the fragility and vulnerability of our existence take more distinct shape, putting to us the ultimate question, whether our life has meaning or not. The question forces us to find out personal answer that fits to our innermost sensibility.

It’s now the time when Logotherapy’s treasure of wisdom becomes a distinguished help to us. Dear Japanese people please cherish and foster the treasure. Let me send you my blessing and greetings from geographically far but spiritually near place.