Greetings
The 43rd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Association for Chest Surgery
Yukio Sato, MD, PhD
President, The 43rd Annual Meeting
Thoracic Surgery, University of Tsukuba
It is my great honor to announce that the 43rd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Association for Chest Surgery will be held on May 14 (Thu) and 15 (Fri), 2026, at the Tsukuba International Congress Center in Tsukuba City, Japan.
The theme of the meeting is:
"DESIGN the FUTURE" – Succession and Evolution–
The field of thoracic surgery is currently undergoing significant changes. We are facing structural shifts on multiple fronts, including demographic transitions, advances in perioperative therapy, the rapid adoption of robotic-assisted surgery, workstyle reform, and increasing calls for centralization of facilities.
In light of these developments, the theme reflects our desire to explore the following concepts:
- Succession: To faithfully inherit the wisdom and techniques passed down by our predecessors
- Evolution: To pursue innovative growth and aim for new heights
- DESIGN the FUTURE: To broadly discuss and envision a sustainable future for thoracic surgery
The poster for the meeting was created through a design competition held in a graduate course at the University of Tsukuba's Faculty of Art and Design. The final version was selected and refined based on a winning student concept. It symbolically portrays the passion of thoracic surgeons—represented by a beam of light emitted from a scalpel—cutting through to the future, with motifs of open surgery, VATS, and RATS.
Tsukuba City is situated between the scenic Mt. Tsukuba and Lake Kasumigaura. Since 1970, it has been developed as a science and research city and is now home to over 150 national and private research institutes, with approximately 20,000 researchers working in the area. It stands as one of Japan’s leading academic hubs, making it an ideal venue for discussing the future of thoracic surgery.
The city is easily accessible—just 45 minutes by Tsukuba Express from Akihabara in Tokyo, and less than an hour from both Narita and Ibaraki airports.
Together with our entire organizing team, we are committed to preparing an outstanding academic meeting. We sincerely hope that many colleagues will join us in Tsukuba to share in vibrant exchanges and passionate discussions that will shape the future of thoracic surgery.