President
Akio Saiura
Department of Hepatobiliary-Pancreatic Surgery Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine
Since its founding in 1968, the Japanese Society of Gastroenterological Surgery has upheld the principle of “the advancement and promotion of gastroenterological surgery” and has achieved steady growth through the extraordinary efforts of its predecessors as well as the traditions they have built over the years.
Having now assumed the role of President of this distinguished society, with its long and proud history, I am filled with a deep sense of responsibility. I would like to express my deepest gratitude and respect to successive executive leadership teams and all members who, through their outstanding leadership, established the foundations of this society and contributed to strengthening surgical care in Japan.
In particular, Dr. Shirabe, as the Immediate Past President, vigorously promoted fundamental measures to address the urgent issue of the decline in membership within the Japanese Society of Gastroenterological Surgery and achieved many significant accomplishments, including outcomes reflected in the 2026 revision of medical service fees. Furthermore, steady progress has been made in gender equality and the equalization of training opportunities based on the “Hakodate Declaration,” which was adopted during the tenure of the fifth President, Dr. Yuko Kitagawa, and subsequently advanced under the leadership of Dr. Shirabe. I intend to faithfully carry forward these valuable achievements and develop them further.
Today, with advances in genomic medicine and the introduction of new technologies, such as robot-assisted surgery for cancer treatment, gastroenterological surgery is in the midst of remarkable progress toward greater sophistication and precision. As the largest subspecialty society, we have served as a vital bridge connecting the Japan Surgical Society, the foundational society of the field, with various specialty, while taking a leading role in advancing world-class, cutting-edge medical care from development through to implementation in clinical practice and society.
In particular, the National Clinical Database (NCD), established through collaboration among our society, the Japan Surgical Society, and other related surgical academic societies under the leadership of the second President, Dr. Kenichi Sugihara, has now become an independent organization that supports the foundation of the surgical specialist certification system, while making substantial contributions to the healthcare quality improvement and academic research. We will continue to make greater use of this valuable big-data infrastructure as a guide for the future of surgical medicine and persistently generate new evidence that we can proudly present to the world.
Additionally, drawing upon this robust data foundation and our advanced clinical capabilities, we will disseminate Japan’s world-renowned surgical techniques and clinical research achievements to the international community, while also embracing cutting-edge technologies from abroad and promoting international collaboration. We are committed to further strengthening our official English-language journal, Annals of Gastroenterological Surgery (AGS), which serves as a driving force for these efforts, and to transforming it into an even more prominent international academic platform where surgeons and researchers worldwide can gather and collaborate.
Amid the rapid population decline and an increasingly super-aged society that Japan now faces, ensuring the sustainability of gastroenterological surgical care has become an urgent challenge. While the consolidation of highly specialized acute care services continues to advance, Japan’s healthcare system cannot function without the gastroenterological surgeons and generalists who support regional healthcare systems as well as community and medium-sized hospitals.
The role that gastroenterological surgeons are expected to fulfill extends far beyond advanced surgical procedures. It encompasses a wide range of responsibilities, including routine gastrointestinal care, endoscopic examinations and treatments, cancer chemotherapy, emergency medicine, and palliative care. Moreover, quite a few surgeons serve as hospital executives, bearing significant responsibility for the management of regional healthcare institutions themselves. Building on our efforts to date, we will continue to highlight the regional healthcare, diverse areas of medical practice, and the dedicated efforts of surgeons who work tirelessly on the front lines to care for their patients-areas that have remained insufficiently recognized even in the latest revision of medical reimbursement fees. At the same time, we will promote the development of a healthcare system that enables safe and reliable surgical care to be provided throughout the country.
In addition, we will continue to improve training and working environments so that all members, including young physicians and women who will lead the next generation, can fully realize and demonstrate their abilities. By respecting one another’s lifestyles and values, we will build a firmly established organizational culture characterized by openness and mutual support, where no one is subjected to unfair barriers or pressure, and where everyone can pursue personal and professional growth with peace of mind and well-being.
Gastroenterological surgery is a field rich in purpose and fulfillment, where practitioners directly impact patients’ lives and life journeys through their own surgical skills, and they can experience significant achievements and profound satisfaction. We are determined to protect and nurture an environment in which every gastroenterological surgeon can continue lifelong professional development with pride and passion, thereby securing the future of gastroenterological surgical care and, ultimately, safeguarding the future of Japan’s healthcare system.
We will listen carefully, even to the unspoken voices of our members and devote our utmost effort to responding to the aspirations of every individual. I sincerely request for your continued support and guidance.
August 2026
