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voir au moins une fois au cours de son existence, nous offrit un magnifique spectacle. Contraste frappant entre le calme majestueux de ce site, de son lac aux eaux tranquilles, et 1'intense activite de 1'immense citć qu'est TOKYO. De retour dans cette ruche bourdon-nante, tout un panorama sur la cite s'impose du haut de la tour de TOKYO.

Nous n'oublierons pas non plus nos visites aux temples Shintoiste et Bouddhiste leur mystere, leur caractere de sćrenitć dans la beautś de leur cadre de verdure, le tout si bien commentć par nos guides: chaque jour se renouvelait un accueil d'une courtoisie raf-finće pendant un repas suivant le rite japonais.

Comment enfin, a la ceremonie des kimonos, trouver les mots pour exprimer la poesie et le charme de cette presentation.

Coloris, dessins et broderies y etaient en parfaite harmonie avec le rythme des saisons et avec la grSce de celles qui les portaient.

En terminant, permettez-moi de vous rappeler un souvenir personnel qui m'est revenu k 1'esprit au cours du voyage.

J'habitais dans une villa franęaise au bord de la Loire, un pavillon au milieu d'un jardin. Rocailles, plantes, arbres et fleurs minia-turises s'y cótoyaient, donnant au printemps un spectacle fśćrique. L'architecte pay-sagiste de talent qui l'avait cree etait passionnement epris de 1'harmonie des parcs de son pays. Je souhaitais alors, sans oser y croire, connaitre un jour la source de son inspiration: le Japon. Permettez-moi donc, au nom de 1'ensemble de notre groupe de dames et en mon nom personnel, de remercier a nouveau tres chaleureusement les organi-satrices japonaises du Comite d'Organisation.

En m'excusant de ne pas pouvoir les citer toutes, je voudrais adresser un merci tout special a Mrs. KANO HOSHINO et a Mrs. MASAMI FUKUOKA et a toutes celles qui ont pris la peine de nous expliquer la civilisation et les coutumes de leur pays. Qu'elles soient assurees que grace k leur initiative, A l'exquise courtoisie de leur accueil, nous quitterons le Japon avec un grand regret, mais en emportant cette vision des choses qui fait que, comme le disent nos amis anglais:

"Beauty is a joy for ever".

Merci.

Professor S. Hansbo

Ladies and Gentlemen, From our distinguished president we all know by now that Sweden will be hosting the next international conference in 1981. Our former and our new presidents have been kind enough to say some appreciat-ing words about Sweden and Swedish soil me-chanics history and I hope that what they said will encourage most of you who are here to start saving money for a long but, I hope, rewarding journey to Stockholm 4 years from now. One might wonder how a smali society, like the Swedish one, dares to offer itself to act as host for an International Conference like this with an ever increasing number of participants and with ever increasing financial engagement. Had we but known what we have now experienced about the tremendous input of work and money required for this conference I believe that the butterflies in our stomachs would have started their con-tained flights far earlier than they actually did.

But there is one consolation. Our Nordic sister societies have promised to do their best - not to say utmost - to help in organ-izing, not only post conference tours but also the conference itself. It is my sincere hope that they will also be able to contribute financially. It is also a consolation that the new president knows Swedish. In my opinion, and, as we just heard from Mme Kerisel, in the opinion of all the participants, including accompanying persons, this conference has been a great success. We have enjoyed a remarkable hospitality and polite-ness from our Japanese hosts and from the Japanese people in generał.

The conference has been extremely well organ-ized, the Proceedings in excellent print and binding and, according to what I have heard from those who have had spare time to be out-side this hotel, the weather much better than expected - in all: we have experienced a most pleasant, human and scientifically enriching week. I can only promise that we in the organizing committee of the next conference shall do our best to satisfy the high expecta-tions and to fulfill the requirements placed upon us after this successful conference.

The Japanese Society has set an example to be followed.

On behalf of the Swedish Geotechnical Society I wish you all heartly welcome to the lOth International Conference in early June 1981. Bring as many accompanying persons and as much money as possible.

Valkomna'. Dorno arigato!

Mr. G. Togashi

Ladies and Gentlemen, on behalf of the Organizing Committee, I should like to say a few words upon closing the Ninth International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering.

Although the Organizing Committee did their best, this is the very first time for us to hołd an International conference of this scalę, and there might have been, I am afraid, some points that you are not satisfied with.

I sincerely hope that they are not serious enough to spoił the purpose of the Conference. I trust that all of the participants have found this Tokyo Conference sufficiently significant and attained their objectives.

Professor and Mrs. Kerisel have just given us

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