This volume contains the proceedings of the Third International Conference on Quantum Communication and Measurement. The series of international conferences on quantum communication and measurement was established to encourage scientists working in the interdisciplinary research fields of quantum communication science and technology. The first such conference, organized by C. Benjaballah and O. Hirota under the title "Quantum Aspects of Optical Communication," assembled approximately 80 researchers in Paris in 1990. The second conference, held in Nottingham in 1994, was organized by V. P. Belavkin, R. L. Hudson, and O. Hirota and attracted about 130 participants from 22 countries. The present conference, organized by O. Hirota, A. S. Holevo, C. M. Caves, H. P. Yuen, and L. Accardi, was heldSeptember 25-30, 1996, in Fuji-Hakone Land, Japan, andjnvolved about 120 researchers from 15 countries. The topics at this third conference included the foundations of quantum communi cation and information theory, quantum measurement theory, quantum cryptography and quantum computation, quantum devices and high-precision measurements, gener ation of nonclassical light, and atom optics. Special emphasis was placed on bringing together research workers in experimental and engineering fields of quantum commu nication and quantum computing and theoreticians working in quantum measurement and information theory. Nineteen plenary and parallel sessions and one poster ses sion were organized, at which a total of 82 papers were presented. Interesting and stimulating scientific discussions took place between and after sessions as well as in the evenings.
