The 33rd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society for Portal Hypertension will be held from September 25 (Friday) to 26 (Saturday), 2026, at Light Cube Utsunomiya in Utsunomiya City. It is a profound honor for our department to be entrusted with the organization and management of this distinguished meeting, which has a long and respected history. At the same time, I personally feel a deep sense of responsibility in undertaking this important role. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the society’s officers, council members, and all members for granting us this valuable opportunity.

The main theme of this meeting is “Shōzen Keigo” (Building on the Past and Opening the Future), which is also my personal guiding principle. The subtitle is “Passing the Torch to the Next Generation: Inheritance, Creation, and Innovation.” Through this meeting, we hope to reflect on the world-leading achievements in portal hypertension research that our predecessors have established through their dedicated efforts, while presenting new directions for the next generation and engaging in meaningful discussions regarding the future of this field. In addition, we intend to place a strong emphasis on education, encouraging comprehensive discussions on the succession of knowledge in portal hypertension research by involving not only educators but also trainees and learners.

This meeting will bring together specialists from a wide range of disciplines, including hepatologists, hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgeons, gastrointestinal endoscopists, radiologists, pathologists, and basic medical researchers. In order to provide all participants with a rewarding and fulfilling two-day experience, we will promote cross-disciplinary dialogue and organize enhanced plenary sessions that facilitate active and multifaceted discussions on key topics. We are also planning numerous sessions that broadly cover all areas related to portal hypertension, including educational lectures and invited international lectures. Furthermore, as the English publication of the society’s journal is currently under consideration, internationalization will be positioned as one of the major pillars of this meeting. We will organize multiple international sessions, as well as sessions designed to encourage young physicians to actively present and engage in discussions in English. In line with the subtitle, we are also planning dedicated sessions for residents and medical students to support the development of the next generation.

As social activities have largely stabilized following the COVID-19 pandemic, this meeting will provide partial on-demand distribution; however, it will primarily be conducted in person. We aim to create an engaging and dynamic meeting atmosphere that offers a strong sense of presence, professional rigor, and fulfillment. We sincerely look forward to welcoming many participants to this meeting.

Thank you very much for your continued support and participation.