Minoru Ono, M.D., Ph.D.
President of the Cardiovascular Surgery Section
The 79th Annual Scientific Meeting of
the Japanese Association for Thoracic Surgery
Professor, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The University of Tokyo
It is a great honor to announce that I will be hosting the 79th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Association for Thoracic Surgery at the Kyoto International Conference Center as the Chair for the Cardiac Section, alongside Dr. Masami Inoue from Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine for the Respiratory Section and Dr. Yuya Takeuchi from Hamamatsu University School of Medicine for the Esophageal Section. Amidst the trend toward advanced and specialized diagnostic and therapeutic techniques across these three specialties, this is the first academic meeting where the three specialties operate on equal footing without a single governing Chairperson. This structure aims to realize a meeting where participants can engage with the cutting edge of each field while preserving their distinct identities. We have chosen the theme “Toward a New Era of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery: Over the Horizon.” This reflects the strong determination of the three chairs to make this meeting one that offers a vision looking ahead a decade, in an era where new insights and treatment strategies are continuously emerging across each field. Simultaneously, it embodies our commitment to fully leverage the distinct characteristics of each field while upholding the principle of collaboration as the Association for Thoracic Surgery.
The development of new technologies and devices in the field of cardiac and great vessel surgery, along with the introduction and expansion of artificial intelligence, is advancing rapidly. We are inviting many leading experts from around the world. The invited speakers have experience hosting numerous Japanese exchange students and understand the diligence, humility, and meticulous techniques of Japanese surgeons. They are all very friendly. We sincerely hope you will take this opportunity to learn practical know-how applicable to your daily clinical practice. Several domestic institutions have built unique expertise and achieved outstanding surgical outcomes. Their presentations hold many valuable insights. We encourage you to learn as much as possible.
Amidst the current shortage of surgeons, a vast horizon for significant advancement lies before you. The introduction and expansion of task sharing and shift work will undoubtedly create an environment where surgeons can increasingly focus on core surgical duties. Furthermore, as facilities centralize operations, the range of procedures you can experience will expand, undoubtedly reducing the workload per surgeon. Improved compensation will likely allow for reduced external work hours, freeing up time for research.
Autumn in Kyoto offers countless attractions. We hope you will enjoy a relaxing time with fellow alumni and classmates, free from your busy clinical routine, making this academic meeting a truly memorable experience.
Masayoshi Inoue, M.D., Ph.D.
President of the Thoracic Surgery Section
The 79th Annual Scientific Meeting of
the Japanese Association for Thoracic Surgery
Professor, Department of Thoracic Surgery, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine
I am honored to be the president of the Thoracic Surgery Section at the 79th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Japanese Association for Thoracic Surgery. Starting with the present meeting, this long-established society will transition from the previous system of having an overall president with section presidents to a new system of three section presidents: cardiac, thoracic, and esophageal surgeries. More than ever, I hope that each section will be able to demonstrate its individuality, while working with Prof. Minoru Ono, president of the Cardiac Surgery Section, and Prof. Yuya Takeuchi, president of the Esophageal Surgery Section, to convey a message as a unified thoracic surgery society. Please join us for the interdisciplinary sessions unique to the “United Thoracic Surgery Society”.
A poster featuring the conference theme, "Toward a New Era of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery ~Over the Horizon~," depicts male and female thoracic surgeons and medical staffs conversing as they gaze out at the horizon at dawn. We are creating a program that will allow veterans, mid-career professionals, and young surgeons alike to engage in lively discussions on a variety of issues, with a vision to the future. These topics include advances in drug therapy and the resulting expanded surgery for locally advanced cancer; technological innovations such as minimally invasive and sophisticated robotic surgery; management of comorbidities and perioperative complications associated with the aging of patients in society; the pathology and pathogenesis of thymic tumors, which can be associated with autoimmune diseases, and the long-term outcomes of minimally invasive surgery; high rates of postoperative recurrence of pneumothorax in young patients and refractory pneumothorax in the elderly; new techniques in the field of lung transplantation; surgeon education and research in the work-in-life era and the significance of studying abroad and domestically. I believe that by pursuing a "thoracic surgery" that incorporates pathology, oncology, immunology, physiology, and molecular biology in addition to technical theory, which is the absolute foundation of a surgeon's skills, we can develop a field of thoracic surgery that inspires endless interest and dreams for future generations.
This will be the first time that the conference will be held in Kyoto since the 72nd Annual Scientific Meeting was hosted by Dr. Hiroshi Date, former Professor of Thoracic Surgery at Kyoto University in 2019, and the first time that Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine will be in charge. While it is still a little early for the season of yellowish or reddish autumn leaves, we hope that you will visit Kyoto in the fragrant autumn breeze and enjoy lively discussions at the conference venue, Kyoto International Conference Center, as well as a stroll through the historical capital of Japan and the delicious food and sake. We hope that by the time you leave the conference, you will have a genuine sense of satisfaction that you are glad to have become a thoracic surgeon. We sincerely look forward to seeing you in Kyoto.
Hiroya Takeuchi, M.D., Ph.D.
President of the Esophageal Surgery Section
The 79th Annual Scientific Meeting of
the Japanese Association for Thoracic Surgery
Professor, Department of Surgery, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine
It is a great honor and privilege to have been appointed as the President of the Esophageal Surgery Section for the 79th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Japanese Association for Thoracic Surgery (JATS). I am deeply humbled to be entrusted with such an important role in this prestigious and historically significant academic meeting. Beginning with this annual meeting, JATS has adopted a new three-chair structure, replacing the previous unified chair system. Together with Professor Minoru Ono (Cardiovascular Surgery Section) and Masayoshi Inoue (Thoracic Surgery Section), we are working closely to further advance our association through stronger collaboration and integration among the three specialties, while also highlighting the distinctive character and expertise of each field. I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the generous support and cooperation of many colleagues toward the success of this meeting.
Esophageal surgery lies at the intersection of thoracic, gastrointestinal, and head and neck surgery. It requires not only advanced operative skills encompassing the entire field from the neck to the abdomen but also sophisticated perioperative management and multidisciplinary teamwork. In recent years, the treatment of esophageal cancer has undergone remarkable evolution—with the widespread adoption of minimally invasive approaches such as robot-assisted and mediastinoscopic surgery, the development of multimodal therapies incorporating immune checkpoint inhibitors and conversion surgery, and new innovations such as artificial intelligence and liquid biopsy technologies.
The theme of this year’s congress, “Toward the new era of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery – Over the Horizon,” aptly reflects these rapid advances. Esophageal surgery, in particular, now stands at the threshold of a truly “new era.”
For the Esophageal Surgery Section, we have selected several timely and clinically relevant main topics: surgical techniques and outcomes of robot-assisted esophagectomy; treatment strategies for cT3br/T4 esophageal cancer; indications and pitfalls of conversion surgery for esophageal and esophagogastric junction cancer; reconstruction following esophagectomy (Ivor Lewis vs. McKeown); therapeutic strategies for elderly patients; troubleshooting in mediastinoscopic esophagectomy; education and training of young surgeons in the era of robotic surgery; and innovations in gastric conduit creation and anastomotic techniques.
In addition, we will feature a video clinic using unedited videos on lymph node dissection around the left recurrent laryngeal nerve, the traditional Esophageal Difficult Case Conference, and a Joint Program by JATS, JES, and JSES titled “Toward Board Certified Esophageal Surgeon and Qualification under the Endoscopic Surgical Skill Certification System.” These programs will provide rich opportunities for practical learning and exchange.
We have also prepared numerous cross-disciplinary sessions, bringing together experts in cardiovascular, thoracic, and esophageal surgery. By sharing experience and expertise across these domains, we hope this meeting will generate novel insights and outcomes unique to JATS. Moreover, I sincerely hope that through such interactions, participants will form new friendships beyond their specialties—and perhaps enjoy together an evening in the beautiful city of Kyoto.
Together with the other two chairs, we are committed to making the 2026 Annual Scientific Meeting both academically fruitful and warmly memorable for all participants. I warmly invite as many colleagues as possible to submit abstracts and join us in Kyoto for this special gathering.