Greeting
Congress President
YASUNARI NAKAMOTO, M.D.,Ph.D.
Professor and Head, University of Fukui, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Second Department of Internal Medicine
The 112th General Meeting of the Japanese Society of Gastroenterology will be held over three days, from Thursday, April 16 to Saturday, April 18, 2026, across two cities at venues adjacent to Fukui Station and Kanazawa Station. The Japanese Society of Gastroenterology was founded in 1898, and its first general meeting was held the following year. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of many pioneers, it has since developed into the nation's premier and largest academic conference in the field. It is a great honor for me to serve as the president of this prestigious 112th General Meeting. This will be the first time that the University of Fukui, with its relatively young medical school, hosts the meeting. Furthermore, within the Hokuriku Branch, this marks only the second time the event will be held since my mentor, Professor Shuichi Kaneko of Kanazawa University, presided over the 105th General Meeting in 2019. My colleagues and I are fully committed to preparing for this significant occasion with a deep sense of responsibility.
The main theme of this General Meeting is "Exploring Next-Generation Gastroenterology." Gastroenterology in Japan has made remarkable advancements across all fields, including the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract, liver, and biliary-pancreatic diseases. Compared to when I began my medical career 37 years ago, the progress is nothing short of extraordinary. Moreover, with the rapid changes brought about by the ongoing Fourth Industrial Revolution, I feel that the field of gastroenterology as a whole is now at a critical stage of accelerated evolution. Against this backdrop, I hope this meeting will serve as an opportunity to deepen our understanding of the present and look toward the future, while building upon the vast experience and knowledge accumulated by our predecessors throughout history.
At this General Meeting, in addition to special lectures, we will feature a special program titled "Cutting-Edge Gastroenterology Research on Current Trends." This session will highlight some of Japan’s latest internationally acclaimed research that has garnered significant attention from our members. For the main sessions, we have planned a total of 50 thematic sessions covering all aspects of gastroenterology, including 16 symposiums, 21 panel discussions, and 13 workshops. Additionally, 10 guideline sessions currently undergoing revisions for 2026 will be incorporated into the panel discussions. The international session will focus on “Inflammation / Carcinogenesis” and will be held in collaboration with the Asian Pacific Topic Conference and the JSGE-UEG Session. I would like to take this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude to the officers, council members, and program committee members of JSGE for their invaluable support in organizing this meeting.
Furthermore, to enhance the convenience for both on-site participants and the overall conference operation, we have adopted a hybrid format that combines live simultaneous streaming with in-person sessions at two venues connected by the Hokuriku Shinkansen (bullet train). Attendees will even be able to view the sessions while traveling on the Shinkansen. Along the route between the two stations, Komatsu Airport, Kaga Onsen Station, and Awara Onsen Station (hot spring towns) are also accessible. Additionally, both on-site and online participants will have access to on-demand streaming. We sincerely hope that many of you will join us and that all participants will have a meaningful and enriching three-day experience.
