Virtualization of the 33rd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society for Radiation Oncology

Conditions for domestic policies associated with the Covid-19 outbreak are gradually easing, however we have made the important decision to hold the 33rd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society for Radiation Oncology online as the situation remains largely unpredictable.

A total of 560 requested and general abstracts were received for peer review, and 180 designated abstracts have been accepted. Though this expected number of abstracts is not as large as the last year's annual meeting in Nagoya, it will be comparable to the excellent 31st annual meeting in Kyoto. We are planning to deliver live or on-demand presentations by world-leading and up-and-coming researchers for biomedical science and engineering, as well as presentations of clinical research that will likely move the world in the future. With the understanding of our supporting members and companies, we will provide a platform for each to hold web exhibitions and give live presentations about their accomplishments with the latest technology through our website. The active learning session on treatment planning is unexpectedly fitting as to be attempted with a centralized web-based platform.

The main theme of "Pursuit of Truth and Well-being" is confronted with the "absurdity" of a coronavirus crisis. At a time like this, I think Pascal's words are suitable for the situation:

“Man is but a reed, the most feeble thing in nature; but he is a thinking reed. The entire universe need not arm itself to crush him. A vapour, a drop of water suffices to kill him. But, if the universe were to crush him, man would still be more noble than that which killed him, because he knows that he dies and the advantage which the universe has over him; the universe knows nothing of this.
All our dignity consists, then, in thought. By it we must elevate ourselves, and not by space and time which we cannot fill. Let us endeavour, then, to think well; this is the principle of morality.” from "Pensées"
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/18269

We will do our best to make the event an invaluable meeting by improving upon equal opportunities for presenters and the audience, reducing the portion that might miss sessions or fail to hear talks, and refining the quality of presentation contents. We deeply appreciate your support and look forward to seeing you virtually in Sapporo.