On the Occasion of Japan Digestive Disease Week 2019 (JDDW 2019)

From November 21 (Thu.) to 24 (Sun.), 2019, JDDW 2019 will be held over four days in Kobe Convention Center, by jointly organizing the 61st Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Gastroenterology (President Hiroto Miwa), the 98th Congress of the Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society (President Shinsaku Fukuda), the 23rd General Meeting of the Japan Society of Hepatology (President Yasushi Matsuzaki and Deputy President Hajime Takikawa), the 17th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Gastroenterological Surgery (President Tadahiko Masaki), and the 57th General Meeting of the Japanese Society of Gastrointestinal Cancer Screening (President Yasumoto Suzuki).

Modeled after the Digestive Disease Week (DDW) in the U.S., JDDW began as a joint meeting of gastroenterology-related societies in Japan. Today, it is held every autumn with the participation of the five above societies. As a unique convention assembling multiple gastrointestinal societies at the same time, it not only functions as fora for physicians and researchers to present and discuss the most advanced medical knowledge in their fields of specialization, but also provides valuable opportunities for participants from different specializations to learn and gain information broadly from other fields of specialization and obtain a first-hand experience of progress made in gastroenterology. In addition to the latest academism in gastroenterology, we also have the Seminar on Medical Issues for members to examine topics related to the clinical and social aspects of healthcare and healthcare systems as well as sessions for nurses and other medical staff. On the last day of JDDW, moreover, we will organize the educational lectures as opportunities for education and training for gastroenterology specialists and instructors. Through these activities at JDDW, we aim not only to promote gastrointestinal-related science, but also to contribute to the welfare of our citizens by improving the quality of gastrointestinal diagnosis and treatment in our country.

JDDW, which has been organized based on the above principle, has steadily developed since its inception in 1993. The number of attendees in recent years has exceeded 20,000, surpassing that of DDW in the U.S. or the UEGW in Europe, to become the world’s largest scientific convention in gastroenterology. As JDDW grows, it is furthering its mission of promoting science and quality of gastrointestinal diagnosis and treatment in our country to assuming a new role of enhancing the standard of gastroenterology in the world, and particularly in other parts of Asia. In fact, participation in JDDW of gastroenterology researchers from other Asian countries is increasing in recent years. For this reason, we have been enhancing the International Session towards internationalization in recent years, and implementing various new initiatives, such as the Travel Award Program to facilitate travel of participants from overseas to attend JDDW.

The new Clinical Trials Act was promulgated in Japan on April 14, 2017, and came into effect as of April 1, 2018. JDDW is already run in compliance with the new law, but we will be adhering to it more rigorously for JDDW 2019. At present, the law requires almost all clinical research to be subject to review by an ethics committee. Despite our concern that this might reduce the number of abstract submissions, we received as many abstract submissions as in previous years. To enhance the quality of JDDW, we have maintained the adoption rate for the digital poster presentations to below 85%. As a result, we had to turn down a number of excellent presentations during the peer review. On the other hand, we are hoping that the posters rigorously selected through this process would result in the presentation of highly exceptional research results. JDDW is a preeminent scientific convention in Japan, and to make it even more fruitful, I sincerely hope that all of you members will participate in JDDW 2019.

JDDW 2019 Steering Committee
Chairperson, Hiroto Miwa

Sponsoring Societies:

61st Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Gastroenterology

President: Hiroto Miwa

98th Congress of the Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society

President: Shinsaku Fukuda

23rd General Meeting of the Japan Society of Hepatology

President: Yasushi Matsuzaki

23rd General Meeting of the Japan Society of Hepatology

Deputy President: Hajime Takikawa

17th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Gastroenterological Surgery

President: Tadahiko Masaki

57th General Meeting of the Japanese Society of Gastrointestinal Cancer Screening

President: Yasumoto Suzuki