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Greeting from Executive President
Inaugural Address by Executive President of the Japanese Society of Neurology
Kazutoshi Nishiyama, MD, PhD
President/CEO of the Japanese Society of Neurology
Professor and Chair, Department of Neurology, Kitasato University School of Medicine
It is indeed my greatest honor to be re-appointed as Executive President of the Japanese Society of Neurology. I served as the 10th Executive President of the Society from May 2022. Two years later, at the election of new Executive Board Members at the 65th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Neurology in May 2024, I had the privilege of being re-elected as Executive President. On the occasion of the launching of the new Executive Board, as Executive President for a second term, I would like to extend my greetings to all members of the Society.
As I mentioned in my address when I was first appointed Executive President two years ago, the Japanese Society of Neurology was founded in 1960 at the first General Assembly of the then "Japanese Society of Clinical Neurology", which was later changed to the current name of "Japanese Society of Neurology" in 1963. However, I understand that the pioneering work of neurology in Japan can be dated back to 1920 with founding of the "Japanese Neurological Society", which means that neurology in Japan has a long history of over 120 years. Although we honor the tireless efforts of our predecessors throughout this long history, I would like to state definitively that the Japanese Society of Neurology and its members have played an extremely important role in the remarkable development of modern neurology. I am deeply honored and humbled to be entrusted with the daunting responsibility to continue to represent a society with such a long history and tradition, supported by the unwavering commitment of our members. I will continue to devote myself to the Society and to live up to the names of our distinguished predecessors in the field of neurology in Japan from its inception to the present.
As Executive President of our Society from 2022, it was my greatest pleasure to have more opportunities to interact with neurologists from all over Japan. Seeing neurologists who work actively in their various specialties has helped me see the path the Japanese Society of Neurology should take, and at the same time has deepened my own viewpoint as a neurologist.
As Executive President, I also have much more opportunities to communicate with medical students and trainees from all over Japan. When talking with young people, I try to speak enthusiastically about my vision for the future of the Japanese Society of Neurology and my dream for neurologists in Japan. I believe that neurologists across the country have become evangelists of the field of neurology to the young people around them, just as I have done. In the spring of 2024, 64 years after the inception of the Society, the membership of the Japanese Society of Neurology has finally reached the 10,000 mark. This achievement is a cause for celebration, but it is only a milestone. To meet the high expectations for our field, I believe that the number of neurologists in Japan needs to be nearly double the current number. It is essential that we continue our efforts to increase the number of neurologists in our country.
As past Secretary General of the Japanese Society of Neurology, I served directly under three successive Executive Presidents: Dr. Hidehiro Mizusawa (7th), Dr. Ryosuke Takahashi (8th), and Dr. Tatsushi Toda (9th). Under the leadership of these three and other successive Executive Presidents, the Japanese Society of Neurology has developed greatly, and the Society of recent years, which has become a general incorporated association, has succeeded in accelerating the developments. However, the current Japanese Society of Neurology is not all smooth sailing. When I first took office as Executive President, I pointed out various challenges facing the Society, such as the turbulent changes in the environment surrounding the medical specialty system and their impact on the Japanese Society of Neurology, difficult negotiations with the Japanese Medical Specialist Board and societies of basic specialties, the "twisted phenomenon" with other neurology-related societies, the lack of dialogue and exchange with related societies, differences in values within the Society and divisions among members, and the low recognition of neurology in Japan. Emulating the "Eight Proposals While Shipboard「船中八策」" of Sakamoto Ryoma, a hero of the Meiji Restoration, I proposed the following eight goals as the major issues that the previous Executive Board should address: (1) further advancement in academics and support of research to overcome neurological diseases, (2) further promotion of internationalization of the Japanese Society of Neurology, (3) public relations activities aiming at increasing the recognition of the Society by the general public, (4) the Japanese Society of Neurology also active in the field of common diseases, (5) society operations meeting the expectations of the general public, (6) "The Japanese Society of Neurology for Everybody"/society operations that values diversity, (7) training of neurologists who will lead the next generation, and (8) activities to uphold the career and livelihood of neurologists. The previous Executive Board has already embarked on all of the above manifestos over the two-year period of 2022 to 2024, and initiated various activities. Although it would be difficult to give all the details here, I would like to share with members some of the representative results of our activities.
- (A) Review of the roles of the Society under the medical specialist system and negotiations with related organizations. Modification of the system of the Society to accommodate the new medical specialist system.
- (B) Expansion of research support and study abroad system for members of the Society. Acquisition of impact factor by Neurology and Clinical Neuroscience, the official English journal of the Society. Active exchange with various related societies overseas.
- (C) Public relations activities for neurology from the perspective of the general public. "All neurologists, be evangelists" project. Activities aiming at increasing recognition of the Japanese Society of Neurology in the society. Active exchange with related societies. Active support for neurologists who are active in related societies.
- (D) Expansion of special educational training seminars. Support toward activities for common diseases in the field of neurology (such as stroke, dementia, headache, and epilepsy).
- (E) Expansion of sections and substantiation of their functions. Building a mechanism to support diverse fields in which members of the Society are active, in order to achieve "The Japanese Society of Neurology for Everybody".
- (F) Various measures related to diversity. Measures to address gender and regional biases through the establishment of a new quota for women in delegate elections. Expansion of webinar projects by the Committee for Promotion of Career Development. Establishment of a new award system for members who are in private practice.
- (G) Activities to increase the number of neurologists. Opening of a Society website for young doctors and students. Expansion of webinars for medical students and residents. Reopening of the Society summer camps. Planning of a survey on undergraduate education. Commendation of universities that have made significant contributions to the training of young neurologists. Number of society members reaching 10,000.
- (H) Measures to uphold the career and livelihood of neurologists. Establishment of a new strategic headquarters. Enhancement of the activities of the Committee for Improvement of Clinical Practice. Lobbying the administration and government. Initiatives to establish the "Japanese Association of Clinical Neurologist".
- (I) Promoting further democratization of the Society. Reform of the selection procedures for Executive President. Consideration of an election system for Executive Board Members taking into account diversity.
- (J) Training the next generation of neurologists and actively recruitment of young members.
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all the efforts and support of our members and all those involved, which have allowed us to leave so many of the above footprints. However, there remain some issues where we have not yet fully achieved our goals. Further reforms and efforts are necessary to make a world in which diversity is respected and all neurologists can shine. We have only just begun to witness the change in the history of neurologists. We need to pave the way for a future, such that young people decades from now will feel comfortable joining the Japanese Society of Neurology and will choose the career path as a neurologist without hesitation. In order for the Japanese Society of Neurology to be trusted by the people of this country and to fully meet the expectations of the society, we need to overcome many challenges. As I begin my new two-year term, I promise to devote myself wholeheartedly to the realization of the ongoing reforms. I would like to conclude my remarks by asking for your continued support to the Japanese Society of Neurology.