This book focuses on the development of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and liquid crystal materials (LCs) in Japan. The Committee of Organic Materials Research for Information Sciences of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) planned the book to document essential LCD innovations and developments since the beginnings of the field-effect LCD technology in 1970. The book illustrates the remarkable effort and progress behind those flat, lightweight, and high-information-content LCDs that have become the indispensable human?machine interface for virtually all electronic devices. In contrast to other publications on this topic, the book illustrates the interdisciplinary character of the LCD technology and its crucial importance for technological progress of the field far beyond displays. It also gives insights into breakthrough innovations not revealed in other publications. Moreover, prospects for the development of LC research toward new fields of applications are provided. In line with its interdisciplinary character, the book targets researchers in basic science as well as engineers and researchers in industry.