Welcome Address
Dear colleagues: On behalf of the International Society for Diseases of Esophagus and the Japan Esophageal Society (JES), we welcome you all to the 12th ISDE that will be held from 2-5 September, 2010 in Kagoshima, Japan, in conjunction with the 64th Annual Meeting of the Japan Esophageal Society. Professor Komei Nakayama founded the ISDE in 1979 to promote scientific exchanges and held the first International Meeting in the following year in Tokyo. Twelve years later, Professor Kinichi Nabeya hosted the 5th Scientific Congress in Kyoto. This 12th International Congress in Kagoshima will be the third ISDE congress to be held in Japan. As all of you know, during the past years the clinical and fundamental fields of esophageal diseases are advancing rapidly. The meeting will take the form of oral and poster presentations, where participants can freely exchange their ideas and points of view, face to face. We are planning symposia and panel discussions in the program. Another objective of the congress is the chance to share and compare data and protocols concerning esophageal diseases with colleagues from different countries. We will focus on not only benign diseases but also malignant esophageal diseases. We are extremely excited about this coming international congress in Kagoshima in 2010. We would like to encourage all ISDE members and also non-members to participate and to learn more about innovative and collaborative techniques for esophageal diseases on this occasion. Moreover, we kindly ask that you recruit new members and promote this congress in Kagoshima in 2010 among your colleagues and co-workers including allied health professionals. Please mark the dates in your calendar. Finally we hope that this congress in 2010, after the 2008 Budapest Congress will provide you with not only scientific inspiration but also with the chance to enjoy the traditional charms of rural Japan. We guarantee that Kagoshima’s beautiful nature and its warm hospitality will contribute towards making your stay memorable and, if you choose to make it an occasion for a family holiday before or after the congress, the chance to see sites related to ancient Japanese mythology, the beautiful scenery and the wealth of hot springs are sure to be most enjoyable. Shiroyama Kanko Hotel, the venue of the congress, is located on the top of the hill looking over Kinko Bay to the magnificent Sakurajima, an active volcano. The members of the local organizing committee and I would like to ask and thank all of you for your tremendous support and cooperation.
Sincerely, Takashi AIKOU
The Host of the 12th ISDE, 2010
Professor Emeritus of Kagoshima University