I have been asked to serve as the president of the 36th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Japan Epidemiological Association, which will be held for three days from January 28 (Wednesday) to 30 (Friday), 2026, at Dejima Messe Nagasaki. This annual meeting will also host the 3rd Joint Scientific Meeting with the IEA Western Pacific Region. Since we will be welcoming epidemiologists form overseas, the working language will be English; we believe that this will attract participants from all over the world and, at the same time, contribute to the internalization of Japan’s academic community.

Epidemiology is a science that describes the distribution and occurrence of health events on a population scale and, furthermore, explores factors related to the occurrence and progression of health events, thus contributing to give scientific evidence for prophylaxis and treatment of diseases, as well as for political decisions. Modern epidemiology is entering a new phase with larger target populations, building of databases to cover diverse factors involving genetics, metabolism, behavior, and environment, real-world analysis of clinical data, and development of new methods for causal inference. Moreover, the issues of infectious diseases with a global impact, as exemplified by the COVID-19 pandemic, health issues caused by repeated conflicts around the world or abnormal weather and natural disasters due to global warming, diversifying lifestyles and environments, regional and income inequalities – all these are part of the world we live in. As epidemiologists, we are obliged to decipher these increasingly complicated situations and to provide evidence toward their resolution.

Thus, we have set the theme for this annual meeting and joint meeting as “Epidemiology and Global Issues: Addressing Diversity, Complexity, and Inclusion.” We would like to go beyond the Japan’s health issues toward diverse and complex health issues of the world, regardless of wealth or poverty, and to develop epidemiological research through an international network as an opportunity to address global health issues.

The Japan Epidemiological Association was established in 1991. Our members are engaged in education, research, and practice in institutions that protect the health and well-being of people, including educational and research institutions in the fields of healthcare and welfare, medical institutions, public health administration, industrial health organizations, and welfare facilities. The association covers a wide range of professions, including not only doctors, dentists, pharmacists, nurses and health outreach workers, nutritionists, and rehabilitation professionals but also researchers in statistics, psychology, social welfare, and social sciences. The Association has more than 2,600 members, of whom over 1,000 will attend the annual scientific meeting.

The 36th Annual Meeting & Joint Meeting will be held mainly on-site, but some seminars and other events are planned to be accessible online as well. In principle, the operation of an academic meeting should be funded by the participation fees, but given the current economic situation, there are concerns that costs may rise. Thus, we would respectfully request that your company or organization support the purpose of this meeting and give your special attention to the financial aspect.