The 34th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Toxicologic Pathology (JSTP) will be held at Okinawa Kariyushi Urban Resort Naha on January 25th (Thu) and 26th (Fri) (including the 30th slide conference for histopathology on January 24th (Wed)), 2018, in Naha city, Okinawa.

It is a great honor for me to serve as president of this coming congress in Okinawa, following my predecessors, namely my mentor Dr. Hideki Mori (16th meeting in Gifu), Dr. Takuji Tanaka (26th meeting in Kanazawa), and Dr. Akiyoshi Nishikawa (28th meeting in Tokyo). Since coming to Okinawa to take up my new post 16 years ago, I have been working to overcome the shortage of pathologists in Okinawa Prefecture, including the Sakishima Islands, with a focus on basic research into toxicologic pathology and pathological diagnosis. Through such activities, I have strongly felt the importance of basic research, and so I decided on “Bridging from Basic Medicine to Clinical Medicine for a Safer Life” as the main theme for this meeting.

Our research into toxicologic pathology can be described as a branch of the life sciences that pursues the truth in a wide variety of changes caused at the cellular and tissue levels by agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, and other chemical substances, as well as herbs and foods, using morphological approaches, including advanced molecular biology. I believe the ultimate goal is to ensure peopleʼs safety . Engaging in medical care services, we unavoidably use chemical substances and other approaches that entail certain risks, and I believe that achievements in basic research cannot be applied or extended to clinical medicine without the efforts of the members of our Society to ensure safety. Accordingly, I hope that the research achievements published at this congress will contribute to medical care services and society at large by “Bridging from Basic Medicine to Clinical Medicine.”

In January, Okinawa is not as warm as in the rest of the year. Unlike on the Japanese mainland, however, you will not need to wear an overcoat when attending the congress. The venue, Okinawa Kariyushi Urban Resort Naha, is close to the pier for ferries going to isolated islands as well as many whale-watching boats, which will be active during the congress period. Accessible in 15 minutes by car from Naha Airport and just 15 minutes on foot from Kokusaidori Street, the venue is ideal for enjoying the splendid sunset over the East China Sea. Okinawa in January is much warmer than the mainland, and you will surely enjoy the many sights and awamori, a distilled alcoholic beverage unique to Okinawa.

I hope many members of our Society will be keen to present the achievements of their work at the congress and take the opportunity to exchange opinions with other researchers. The Program Committee has planned to hold 2 special invited lectures, 8 topics in two symposiums, 4 topics in panel discussion and 5 topics in workshop, ranging from the basics of toxicologic pathology to the latest topics. The Program Committee and Congress Secretariat members will do their best to make the congress rewarding for all participants.

I look forward to seeing you in Okinawa with its blue sea and sky.