The 56th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Gastroenterology President Soichiro Miura (National Defense Medical College)

I am pleased to announce the 56th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Gastroenterology (JSGE), which will be held for the three days from October 23 to 25, 2014, on Portopia Island in Kobe, as a part of Japan Digestive Disease Week 2014. I am honored to offer my services to this Meeting with such a shining legacy. Much consideration and planning has gone into JDDW2014, which will feature a rich array of intensive programs and events as a result of close collaboration by five Societies: JSGE, the Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society, the Japan Society of Hepatology, the Japanese Society of Gastroenterological Surgery, and the Japanese Society of Gastrointestinal Cancer Screening. As we strove to include as many integrated and joint programs as possible, the sessions will be sure to touch upon every topic imaginable in relation to the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. We are confident the Convention will meet your expectations.

The JSGE program in particular was structured with the aim of providing latest and valuable information which participants can take home and put into practice immediately. In planning, we adhered consistently to a pathophysiological perspective in the diagnosis and treatment of important diseases. We believe the programs will provide innovating and clear insights leading to future research. Another feature of our program is the effort to promote communication with foreign colleagues in the context of the increasing globalization of medical care. To this end, our International Session will feature lectures by leading gastroenterologists from other countries in Asia. In addition, English will be used to conduct four of the main topics. We encourage participants to engage in active communication and information exchange with doctors from overseas. We hope our varied and multifaceted programs, including those on 14 other topics chosen by the Program Committee, will prompt active discourse on gastroenterology for tomorrow and beyond.

In addition to the academic programs, we invite participants to have their fill of Kobe in the autumn season, complete with beautiful night lights and excellent cuisine.

We look forward to welcoming all of you.