A special lecture by Prof. Emeritus Koichi Shimoda entitled “The truth about the invention of the laser ?” was held at ENEOS Hall, Komaba Campus, the University of Tokyo on Wednesday 22 July. The lecture was held as a part of NanoQuine’s public Nano Quantum Information Electronics seminar. The seminar was well attended by a wide range of participants, including many from outside NanoQuine, as Dr. Shimoda was a pioneer in the development of the laser. In particular, he spoke about his vigorous efforts to “get to the bottom of the matter” based on primary literature information, and everyone was deeply moved by his lecture, which brought back vivid memories of the time.