The US-Japan Seminar on Quantum Electronics and Laser Spectroscopy was started for the purpose of promoting research development and collaboration between US and Japanese researchers. It has been held every three or four years since 1977 in the United States or in Japan and has been supported by the NSF (National Science Foundation) and the JSPS (Japan Society for the Promotion of Science).

For the 10th seminar, the US-Japan meeting on Fundamental Issues and Applications of Ultracold Atoms and Molecules was held in August, 2006 in Breckenridge, Colorado, USA and was supported by the NSF.