21st Congress of International Association of Surgeons, Gastroenterologists and Oncologists in Tokyo, 2011

 

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Following the offer and invitation to report on IASGO 2011, I would like to provide two representative letters to the organizing committee of the congress highlighting the impressions by two attendees:

Prof. W. Kimura Past President of IASGO (2011)

Professor Wataru Kimura,

The 21st World Congress of the International Association of Surgeons, Gastroenterologists and Oncologists, commonly known as “IASGO 2011 in Tokyo”, was a great success.

This congress was held over four days, from 9th November to 12th November, at the Keio Plaza in Shinjuku, Tokyo (Japan), and welcomed 909 participants from 59 different countries. This international conference is held annually and was recently conducted in cities such as Madrid, Bucharest, Athens, Istanbul, Beijing and Cairo. ISAGO 2011 marked the first time the congress was conducted in Japan since it was held in Nagasaki twelve years ago.

As Japanese doctors, we are greatly indebted to both IASGO and its publication, Hepato-Gastroenterology, which were key forces that promoted global recognition of Japanese medicine in the 1980s, a time when few Japanese doctors were comfortable communicating in English.

I believe that the timing of this congress demonstrated how the Japanese have bravely faced and overcome difficulties in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011.

The topic of this highly-acclaimed convention was “What is new in Tokyo”, and included outstanding presentations from experts in surgery and internal medicine of the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract, lower GI tract, liver, pancreas and biliary tract in addition to laparoscopic surgery and oncology specialists. The efforts of the Japanese professors were particularly noteworthy. At the welcome reception, Professor Junichiro Kawaguchi gave a one-hour lecture entitled ‘Hayabusa: A 7-year Journey’ [Remark 1] that filled the venue with admiration for Japanʼs aerospace industry and demonstrated the brilliance of the Japanese as well as top-class doctors from around the world. Young doctors confidently gave speeches and poster presentations alongside internationally acclaimed experts and entered into debates with internationally renowned professors. As a venue for promoting Japanese industry and intellect internationally, the congress should be considered a great success.

I would like to take this opportunity to express our deep gratitude for the support given by the Yamagata University staff and members of many Japanese organizations that allowed participants to passionately present their research and engage in debate, ensuring the success of this congress.

To help illustrate how the congress was received, I would like to share selections of e-mails from two participants, a Japanese doctor and an overseas professor.

(First part omitted) ”I think it is wonderful that you hosted an international convention, despite hailing from a medical school in a provincial city such as Yamagata, [Remark 1] and the congress itself was conducted splendidly. It also instilled in me great admiration for the efforts and unity of all members of the First Department of Surgery.

At home and abroad, you, Doctor Wataru Kimura, are always held in high esteem as a clinician and researcher. However, I have to say I was also surprised and filled with admiration for your outstanding management ability, of both medical and academic activities, in organizing this convention. Not only was the program, including the coordination of speech topics, chairperson selection and presentation format, excellent, one could also sense your kind consideration of elements such as the traditional flower parasol dance, which was held during dinner.

(Middle part omitted) I believe that this was solely due to your sharp perceptiveness as a professor of outstanding ability, and I would like to express my deepest gratitude. (Last part omitted)”

Dear Prof. Kimura,

I would like with this e-mail, to congratulate for the excellence of the Congress you have organized.

IT WAS A SIGN OF THE GREATNESS OF THE JAPANESE PEOPLE ABLE TO MAKE THIS WONDERFUL CONGRESS AFTER THREE DISASTERS YOU HAVE THIS YEAR (2011).

It is of high quality concerning the speakers with excellent presentations and many participants. Also I would like to thank you for your hospitality. All the people were very kind and all have been perfect.

(Last part omitted)

I hope I have not taken too much of your time and for now, I hope that you will join me in celebrating the fact that at the very least the congress appears to have been a success. Thank you.