We are pleased to announce that the 56th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Interventional Radiology will be held in Kobe. The meeting will take place over three days, from Thursday, May 20th to Saturday, May 22nd, 2027, at the Kobe Portopia Hotel. The entire staff is working diligently to ensure that this meeting is a meaningful one for all participants.

The theme of this year's meeting is “Passing the Legacy of IVR Pride -Saving Lives with Enhanced Skill and Spirit-”. “Enhanced Skill” refers to the continuous refinement of the advanced and specialized techniques required in IVR, such as image diagnostic skills, procedures, device selection, and strategic planning, aiming for standardization and quality improvement. “Enhanced Spirit” means continuously enhancing the humanity and attitude of medical professionals, including empathy and accountability to patients and their families, multidisciplinary collaboration, ethics, and professionalism. And “Saving Lives” is a phrase that embodies our determination to contribute to next-generation medicine through the creation of new minimally invasive treatments, improvement of prognosis and quality of life, and education, research, and human resource development, all based on the skills and spirit that have been honed in this way.

The history of IVR is that of “challenging” the unknown. What was once an uncharted territory has now become the last line of defense in emergency medicine, and other departments place their complete trust in us, saying, “If it's IVR, they can do something about it.” Behind that trust lies the unwavering “Legacy” that we IVR physicians have upheld. We hope this general meeting will be not merely a forum for sharing knowledge, but a “place of rousing courage” to re-examine IVR from both a technical and emotional perspective, and to pass on the spirit of IVR to future generations.

We truly looking forward to meeting you all in Kobe, a city brimming with the beauty of fresh greenery.