By the invitation of Professor T. Nakabo I worked at the Kyoto University Museum, Kyoto University from September 1 1999 to March 31 2000. The main aim of this joint project was examining of the frozen samples collected from the transitional water of the Northwestern Pacific east of Japan and donated by Professor K. Kawaguchi (Ocean Research Institute, the University of Tokyo). Big collection of the Northwestern Pacific mesopelagic fishes was prepared, which contain all main species and many rear ones for this region . Almost 73 species deep water pelagic and benthopelagic fishes were found and included at a collection of fishes of the Kyoto University Museum after finishing of the our project.

I would like to express my true gratitude to Professor T. Nakabo and administrative staff of the Kyoto University Museum for possibility to work and live at so nice town as Kyoto. Many thanks for all of you to have done for this project and me: yours sincere help, interesting discussion and care. I hope that results of our joint project will be to mutual benefits and strengthen the friendly ties between IBM Russian Academy of Sciences and the Kyoto University Museum. Special thanks to Associate professor H. Nagamasu for his help and care when I occupied a space at his office for 7 months.

I like Kyoto very much. I think it is a one of the best city in the World I have seen. We, my family and me enjoyed when stayed at Kyoto. Temples, Japanese gardens (the best!) and people, all were so nice and beautiful!

Andrey Anatoljevich Balanov, Institute of Marine Biology, Far East Branch, Russian Academy of Science, Palchevskij-Street 17, Vladivostok 690041, Russia