Welcome Message

It is my great honor and privilege to host the 16^th Korea-Japan Joint Conference on Surgery for Cerebral Stroke in Gifu. This Joint Conference has a history of more than 30 years and has contributed to improving the neurosurgical management of stroke in Korea and Japan. This meeting also contributed to establish a cordial friendship of cerebrovascular neurosurgeons in the two countries.

As you know, this joint meeting was originally planned to be held on September 14^th to 16^th 2022, however, postponed for one year because COVID-19 pandemic was still ongoing as of this spring. The new schedule of the Joint Meeting is September 13^th to 15^th, 2023. Now, COVID-19 pandemic is not over yet in Japan. But quite unexpectedly, Dr. Tedros, WHO Secretary-General, made the following statement regarding the end of COVID-19 pandemic on September 15^th, the day the Joint Conference was originally scheduled; “We are not there yet, but the end is in sight.” We expect that COVID-19 will go down within one year, and we would like to restart toward the KJJC 2023, which will be successfully held as a face-to-face conference in Gifu in September 2023. I sincerely hope many Korean cerebrovascular neurosurgeons and their companions will come to Gifu to attend the meeting, to enjoy the Japanese scenery, atmosphere, and cuisine.

The main theme of the 16^th KJJC Meeting is “Succession of Art and Spirit in Cerebrovascular Surgery”, with this theme, the words “with the Change of Generation” comes to my mind. I graduated from Gifu University and started my neurosurgical training in 1983. Between 1979 and 1988, which is the last 10 years of the Japanese “Showa” era, many medical graduates including me got on the path of neurosurgery. So, our generation is the baby boomer generation of Japanese neurosurgeons, and will retire from academic or leading positions in the near future. We have learned art and spirit from senior neurosurgeons and established our sophisticated tradition of cerebrovascular surgery. Now is the time to hand over our proud skills and hearts to the younger generations.

Gifu prefecture is located in the center of Japan’s main island “Honsyu”, and Gifu city is 30km north of Nagoya city. Gifu city is a historical town with scenic beauty and delicious cuisine. I sincerely hope that things return to normal, and I look forward to seeing all of you in Gifu in September, 2023.

Thank you.