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Message from the President

It is our great pleasure to hold the 67th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Neurology at Pacifico Yokohama in Kanagawa prefecture from Wednesday, May 20, to Saturday, May 23, 2026. On behalf of the Department of Neurology, Kitasato University, which has been honored to host this academic conference, I would like to extend my greetings.

The theme of this conference is "The Japanese Society of Neurology for Everyone -Strategy for the Future-". I will explain the reasoning behind this theme. Prof. Nishiyama, the Congress President, has served as the 10th President/CEO of the Japanese Society of Neurology since May 2022, and his term as President/CEO, spanning two terms over four years, will conclude with this 67th Annual Meeting in 2026. In other words, this meeting also serves as a culmination of the activities undertaken by the Executive Board of the Japanese Society of Neurology since 2022. The field of neurology has made remarkable advances in recent years, and the Japanese Society of Neurology has contributed significantly to both clinical practice and research in neurology. Furthermore, membership of this society has reached a milestone of 10,000 as of 2024. While these achievements are to be celebrated, they are merely milestones along the way. The field of neurology faces significant challenges, given the high expectations placed on it. Upon assuming the role of President/CEO, I identified several challenges facing the Japanese Society of Neurology, including the environmental changes surrounding the medical specialist system in Japan, negotiations with the Medical Specialist Organization and various medical societies, lack of dialogue with other neurology-related societies, differences in values within the Society, and divisions among members, as well as the low public recognition of the Society and the numerical shortage of neurologists in Japan. I proposed the following eight goals as the major issues that the current 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) expanding the Society's contributions beyond neurological rare diseases to include common diseases, (5) society operations meeting the expectations of the general public, (6) fostering diversity in the operations of the Society, (7) nurturing the next generation of the Society, and (8) activities to uphold the career and livelihood of neurologists in Japan. The Board of Directors of the Japanese Society of Neurology aspires to address these issues so that young people in future will feel secure in choosing a career as a neurologist. To become a society trusted by the people of this nation and one that meets the expectations of the broader community, it is crucial to unite the strength of all its members. With this in mind, the theme of the 67th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Neurology was decided.

It has been 18 years since the Annual Meeting of Japanese Society of Neurology was last held in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, organized by Dr. Fumihiko Sakai, Professor of Neurology at Kitasato University, during the 49th meeting. As the Japanese Society of Neurology serves as the foundational society for neurologists in Japan, hosting its annual meeting is a great honor to us. Our department faculty and alumni are working as one to prepare for this event. We are striving to organize the meeting from a broad perspective to ensure the satisfaction of all participants, including physicians, researchers, medical staff, and students from both domestic and international backgrounds. We eagerly look forward to your participation in beautiful Yokohama. We hope that you will enjoy this event, as a platform to expand your knowledge of the past and present of the Japanese Society of Neurology and to discuss the future of the Society and neurologists in Japan.

Kazutoshi Nishiyama, M.D., Ph.D.