Greeting

I am deeply honored to have been appointed President during the newly formed Board of Directors meeting held during the 110th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Urological Association (Kobe). I feel a sense of great responsibility and am determined to fulfill my duties with utmost dedication.

The membership of the Japanese Urological Association, a nonprofit organization, currently exceeds approximately 9,700 members, with around 300 new resident physicians joining each year. We are approaching the milestone of 10,000 members soon. While the field of medicine has seen specialization in diagnosis, surgery, pharmacotherapy, and other areas across various medical domains, the field of urology in our country has a unique development history, where urologists are involved in almost every aspect from diagnosis to surgery and pharmacotherapy. The scope of diseases covered includes urological cancers (such as prostate, kidney, urothelial, and testicular cancers), urinary tract infections, kidney diseases related to transplantation and dialysis, voiding disorders, endocrine disorders related to the adrenal glands, male menopause, reproductive medicine, female urology, pediatric urology, and more. The Japanese Urological Association encompasses a broad range of specialized fields and operates with 15 technical section committees, ensuring high levels of expertise. We intend to promote basic and clinical research, further advance the field of urology, and contribute to the well-being and health of the public while prioritizing patient safety.

As one of the fundamental field societies designated by the Japanese Medical Specialty Board, we will continue to advance the education and training of urologists who will shape the future. The educational programs are designed to foster the development of urology as an academically diverse field and include collaboration with other societies in border areas. The educational content and programs developed by experts and opinion leaders in each specialized field can be easily accessed through the society's website. Through these educational activities, we aim to cultivate the next generation of specialized urologists who can enhance urological clinical practice and promote research.

Although the handling of COVID-19, classified as a Class 5 infectious disease, has finally settled and there is a sense of stability, the area most affected during the tumultuous three years of the pandemic was the international exchange. In our society, even though online participation by overseas speakers has become the norm, during the 110th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Urological Association, we welcomed many foreign speakers who participated in person. At the subsequent AUA meeting, we had the opportunity to witness numerous Japanese young physicians presenting their research, as well as experienced doctors serving as moderators and session chairs. It is a reassuring feeling that we are gradually returning to normalcy. In terms of international exchange, we aim to strengthen our collaboration with the AUA and EAU and enhance the presence of the Japanese Urological Association in Asia. To achieve this, we intend to first understand the current state of international exchange at each university and specialty society and clarify the stance of the Japanese Urological Association regarding collaboration with various Asian countries. The International Journal of Urology (IJU), published by our community, serves as the official journal of Urological Association of Asia, and thanks to the efforts of the editorial board members, its latest impact factor has risen to 2.896. While we have steadily established our position as a leading journal in Asia, it is crucial to further expand and develop it in the future.

The number of female physicians in our society is also increasing; they currently account for 8.9% of the total membership. Approval was granted during the tenure of the previous President, Dr. Nonomura, to establish a position for female directors, and for the first time, two female directors have been appointed. We invite female directors to serve as chairs of various committees within the Japanese Urological Association and actively engage in the society's operations. Additionally, through the Diversity Promotion Committee, we aim to promote positive actions and initiatives such as fostering an inclusive work environment and supporting work-life balance for female urologists. It is imperative to address the ongoing reforms in physicians' working conditions. We will work towards building a system that accommodates individuals with diverse characteristics and backgrounds who aspire to become urologists and create an environment that enables their long-term involvement in the field.

With the direction above, we will continue to advance the operations of the Japanese Urological Association. We are committed to striving for the further development of society and kindly request your support in our endeavors.

Masatoshi Eto, Professor and Chairman

Department of Urology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University