Academic contribution is the most critical mission of the Association. Annual meetings serve as an essential venue for busy thoracic surgeons to efficiently gather the latest information, organize their knowledge, and network with colleagues. Our new chairperson system is progressing smoothly, and in 2026, we will fully transition to a system featuring three chairpersons representing three distinct fields; cardiovascular, thoracic, and esophageal surgery. Under their leadership, I expect the annual meetings to become more active than ever.
Simultaneously, there is an increasing need for management rooted in strong cooperation between the Association headquarters and the annual meeting secretariats, particularly regarding financial challenges. We aim for more attractive and stable operations by conducting thorough verification and discussion of various issues while respecting the independence of the chairpersons.
Our official journals, GTCS and its case report counterpart GTCC (founded in 2022), continue to play vital roles in disseminating information. We aim to further improve the Association’s visibility, academic standards, and international contribution. Regarding international relations, we will continue to promote globalization by strengthening partnerships with major Western societies—such as the Aortic Symposium and Mitral Conclave (AATS) and the International Thoracic Surgical Oncology Summit (ITSOS)—while also looking toward increased exchange with Asian countries.

In the context of work-style reforms, establishing an environment for high-quality education and sustainable career development is an urgent issue directly linked to the future of Japan’s medical system. In these unpredictable times, it is vital to nurture next-generation leaders.
Working with certification organizations and related societies, we will evolve our educational programs. We aim to enrich the training environment at every stage—through summer schools, case presentations at JATS local chapter meetings, the Case Presentation Award, JATS Fellowship study abroad support, and the JATS-NEXT annual conference—to encourage and empower young surgeons. We also intend to reflect their needs in our decision-making and properly evaluate the value of research, while actively promoting diversity.

It is crucial to manage the Association in response to the demands of the times. We have launched the “Registration System for Nurses Completing Specified Medical Acts Training in Thoracic, Cardiac, and Vascular Surgery” to balance member support with the quality of medical care. Moving forward, we aim to increase registrants, expand task-shifting/sharing, and introduce Digital Transformation (DX). We will also discuss the centralization of facilities, regional acute care systems, and medical safety education to ensure the physical and psychological safety of our members.

Providing accurate information to society is a core mission. The JATS Annual Report has maintained a collection rate of over 95% across all three fields for over 30 years—a level of quality unmatched by any other database. We will continue to collaborate closely with the NCD (National Clinical Database) and JCVSD (Japan Cardiovascular Surgery Database).
To ensure that new technologies are adopted safely and accepted by society, we must foster trust with the public. By maintaining dialogue through clear information dissemination and media relations, and by prioritizing transparency and accountability from a patient’s perspective, we will enhance the Association’s public value. With approximately 8,000 members, our strength as a large specialist group will be utilized to contribute to society in collaboration with related organizations.

JATS possesses numerous excellent assets, including its English journals (GTCS, GTCC), regional chapters, a stable financial base, rich educational content (JATS Academy), and international scholarships. We will leverage and promote these to further increase the value of the Association.

To ensure stable meeting operations and strengthen cooperation with related societies, we will work to enhance the functions of the secretariat and build a steady foundation.

• 1986: Graduated from Keio University School of Medicine
• 1990: Completed Doctoral Course, Keio University Graduate School of Medicine
• 1996: Clinical Fellow, Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Alabama
• 2014: Professor, Department of Surgery (Cardiovascular), Keio University (Current)