During the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, I would like to express my heartfelt respect for all of you on the front lines of health care who are working hard on COVID-19 measures in addition to providing regular medical care, striving to bring this situation to a resolution as quickly as possible.
The 85th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Japanese Circulation Society will be held in a hybrid format at PACIFICO Yokohama on March 26 (Fri) ‒ 28 (Sun). For the first time ever, it will be held in conjunction with the World Congress of Cardiology (WCC). Originally, we were planning to have many researchers from all over the world gather in Yokohama. It is with great regret that we have been forced to run the meeting primarily as a joint symposium.
The theme for the meeting has been set as “NEXT STAGE: Future of Medicine and Community.” This was in response to the facts that medicine and medical research are approaching a major turning point, as is society as a whole, and that the Cerebrovascular and Cardiovascular Disease Control Act was promulgated at the end of 2018. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the world into great change, and reluctantly we are in a true “NEXT STAGE.”
At the 85th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Japanese Circulation Society, Professor Tasuku Honjo and Professor Shinya Yamanaka, who are both laureates of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, will deliver the Mashimo Memorial Lecture and the WCC Special Lecture, respectively. It is also a very great pleasure that the Mikamo Lecture will be delivered by Professor Eric Olson, currently the world’s top leader in basic cardiovascular research, and that 15 special lectures will be presented by world-renowned researchers. A series of special sessions called Special Symposium “MIRAI” has also been incorporated into the meeting program, including a symposium on the future of medical care using big data and AI, as well as a special lecture presented by Mr. Shogo Arai, the governor of Nara Prefecture, who is leading medical administration in Nara with the aim of having the longest healthy life expectancy in Japan.
In addition, many other presentations and speeches are scheduled, including a symposium focused on the Second Five-Year Plan for Overcoming Stroke and Cardiovascular Disease, which was announced on March 2nd, eight symposia by the Japan Cardio-Vascular Alliance, JCVA (an alliance of cardiovascular-related societies), two symposia related to COVID-19, presentations on eight new guidelines, sessions by the U-40 Heart Failure Network and ISHR U45, as well as the Special Sessions.
We are also planning to hold public lectures which will be completely virtual for the first time.
In spite of the tough circumstances, we received submissions of more than 2,000 abstracts for the regular abstract sessions. Again, thank you for your submissions. The regular abstract sessions will be streamed on-demand, and we have requested that they all be oral presentations. Regrettably, the Lecture on Medical Ethics and Educational Sessions have also been shifted to on-demand streaming in order to avoid the so-called “Three Cs” (closed spaces, crowded places, and close-contact settings). Success of the meeting can only be achieved with everyone’s support and cooperation. I hope that as many JCS members as possible will be able to attend. I would also like to extend my sincere appreciation to the many companies that have continued to provide at least as much assistance as past years in these difficult economic circumstances.
I look forward to you joining us at the meeting, and together creating a future of vibrant medical care and community for the Next Stage, and telling the world about the new cardiology.