I am Yoshiyuki Takei. I have been nominated as President of the 24th General Meeting of the Japan Society of Hepatology. It is an honor to be able to oversee this meeting that is rich in history and tradition.

As we move from the Heisei Era to Reiwa Era, the world of hepatology is entering a new phase. Hepatitis C virus was discovered in 1989, and like putting the final touches on a painting, its cure is almost complete. Many issues, however, remain, such as carcinogenesis, which has triggered germination of new studies on viral hepatitis in the post-SVR era. Developments in NAFLD research, which began with comparison with alcoholic liver diseases, are truly remarkable. It is not only making us realize the role of the liver as a metabolic organ, but is also opening up new frontiers in the elucidation of the pathological linkages between liver diseases and various organs of the body. Sensing these new developments of the times and in the hope of further advancement of hepatology, we made “Hepatology, Ever Onward” as the theme of this meeting.

Under this theme, we have planned special lectures, symposiums, and other programs to meet the diverse needs of our members. In the International Session “Current Concept of Alcoholic Liver Disease,” we have invited leading experts from abroad in the hope of exchanging the latest information on alcohol-related biomedical science and elucidation of the conditions of liver diseases. We will take on the topics of NAFLD/NASH, liver cancer, liver cirrhosis, liver diagnostic imaging, hepatitis B, diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis C, and portal hypertension to discuss the state of the art in hepatology research, diagnosis, and treatment, and plot the course of future developments. As for new fields of hepatology, we have selected inter-organ communication around the liver axis and elucidation of hepatic disorder mechanisms based on the intracellular biological machinery.

We aim to relive the experience of tracing the path to hepatology research—the epic scientific drama in which the truth is passed down and changes are accepted simultaneously—and to explore the future of hepatology, while being guided by the magnificent triumphs set out by our forerunners. It is our sincere hope that many excellent presentations will be made at the meeting and that the meeting will be remembered as a milestone in the development of hepatology.