[An-lang] Continuing the discussion on ICAL 2027 venue accessibility

[Yuko Kitada]

Dear all,

I am writing to follow up on the ongoing discussion regarding venue accessibility for ICAL 2027.

In my previous message, I referred to a comment that described concerns about accessibility as "inappropriate." After much reflection, I have decided that, for the sake of building a healthier and more transparent community, it is better to address this openly and constructively rather than letting it remain a point of tension.

"The time to raise this concern was a year ago during the bid process for the next location. Raising it now, and in this forum, is highly inappropriate and can have no good effects. There were no bids for locations closer to the airports, or anywhere else, so the alternative seems to be canceling ICAL entirely, which helps no one. If it is possible to rent a venue in central Tokyo, which is not certain at this point, that will significantly raise costs, which makes the conference inaccessible to scholars from less well-funded institutions."

This response feels dismissive and somewhat hostile to open discussion. Labeling fact-based questions about accessibility as "highly inappropriate" risks shutting down legitimate concerns. Suggesting that raising these issues could lead to "canceling ICAL entirely" comes across more as a warning than a constructive suggestion.

As I recall — and I was present during the bid process — the name 'Meisei University' may have been mentioned, but my strong impression at the time was that the venue had not yet been finalized (with other possibilities still under consideration). To be honest, as a Japanese participant, I was not very familiar with Meisei University myself and did not realize its location or the extent of its distance from the airports. I mistakenly assumed that access from central Tokyo or the airports would be reasonably convenient, and any lack of clarity on this point during the bid process may partly be my own oversight.

Even in June 2025, Prof. Utsumi was still exploring alternatives (e.g., University of Tokyo, TUFS, Kanda University of International Studies). This clearly indicates that plans remained flexible well after the bid.
If Meisei University had been explicitly presented as the fixed venue during the bid process, the Steering Committee — whose fundamental role includes properly evaluating feasibility and inclusivity against established international standards such as those from SIGACCESS and similar guidelines for conference accessibility — should have flagged the significant accessibility issues at that stage.

As I mentioned before, in the case of the Southeast Asian Linguistics Society (SEALS), this kind of evaluation process works effectively. Prof. Paul Sidwell, a key organizer, personally explained to me that while many factors are considered in venue selection, priority is given to proximity to major hub airports to ensure both the quality and breadth of participation.

I believe that dismissing concerns or framing them as potential threats to the conference's existence undermines the spirit of our community. ICAL belongs to all of us, and open, respectful discussion is essential to making the best decisions.

Meanwhile, the survey on this matter remains open, and I sincerely look forward to respectful and constructive input from the community:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf2-5-TLSahDRbX5kYsZ88yy2mDwzO2ejCQmwcpYnSvagVicg/viewform?usp=header

Please note that the survey is anonymous, and any free-text comments will be kept confidential—I plan to summarize the overall results and comments (without identifying individuals) and share them with the community later.

I hope we can continue the discussion in a transparent and collaborative way to make ICAL 2027 successful and accessible for everyone.

Best regards,
Yuko Kitada

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