The ASPECT2025 organisers have finalised the programme for the three day conference and one day of technical visits (in the document library below).

The outline programme to assist your planning (please note that sessions may be subject to change):

Technical visits on Friday 5 December are to:

1. ATACS field site and training centre (33 places)
2. Railway Museum in Omiya (40 places)
3. JR East Comprehensive Training Centre in Shin-shirakawa by Shinkansen (30 places) SOLD OUT
4. Railway Technical Research Institute (36 places)

For all technical visits where personal protective equipment (PPE) is required, it will be provided during the visit. There is no need for delegates to provide their own PPE.

The prices for delegates covering three days of papers, interactive sessions on day two and two evening conference socials are below.

A few additional tickets for the evening socials are available on a first-come first-served basis, and are limited to one per delegate.

All delegates are welcome to add an optional technical visit at an additional cost (see below) - these are limited capacity and therefore early booking is recommended.

All payments must be in Japanese Yen through the Convex Agency. See the programme brochure (below in document library) for further details.

IRSE members (any grade) Early bird JPY 156,000, Standard rate JPY 196,000

IRSE younger members or retired members (any grade) Early bird JPY 114,000, Standard rate JPY 134,000

Non members Early bird JPY 198,000, Standard rate JPY 220,000

Additional ticket for Networking event on 2 December JPY 16,000

Additional ticket for Conference Dinner on 3 December JPY 25,000

Technical visits:

• ATACS field site and training centre, or Railway Museum in Omiya, or Railway Technical Research Institute JPY 18,000
• JR East Comprehensive Training Centre in Shin-shirakawa by Shinkansen JPY 25,000 ***SOLD OUT

The 2025 ASPECT IRSE Innovators session comprises of a panel of judges, composed of experienced professionals, and the young members presenters, who will represent the entrepreneurs. The presenters will then “pitch” their railway-related innovation idea to the judges, who will ask questions, challenge the idea, and ultimately pass judgement. Finally, the judges will decide which idea is the best. Whilst there will be no ‘investment’, the best idea will receive a small prize.

You must be a Younger Member of the IRSE aged below 35 years of age on the 31 May 2025 and be intending to register for the ASPECT conference.

The innovator submission guidance is here and your submission form is here - both in the document library below.

Thank you to everyone who submitted abstracts to the ASPECT 2025 committee.

The successful authors are being contacted. The following documents will help you (links below and in document library below)

Guidance for authors

Paper template

Main author bio and photograph

Licence to distribute

Aspect 2025 will be held in Yokohama, Japan in December 2025 and we are offering funding of up to £1,500 (GBP) per person to help cover travel and hotel costs. In addition, we will also pay for the Aspect 2025, three-day conference fee.

Applications for funding are welcomed from members of the IRSE who will be under 35 years of age on 15 February 2025. Preference will be given to those who have not previously received an award.

A selection committee will review all the applications and decide who will receive funding. Applicants will be advised by 31 May 2025 whether they have been successful in obtaining funding or not.

Funding is through re-imbursement of up to GBP £1,500 per person, contributing to travel and hotel costs.

ASPECT events have consistently attracted a wide of range of people in the industry with over 400 delegates from across the globe attending the most recent conference in 2023.

The event is open to both IRSE members and non-members and will bring together, the world’s best signalling, control, systems, and communications engineers along with leading signalling and communications technology companies.

Our sponsorship brochure is available here, and in the document library below.