President’s Greeting

Manami Inoue
14th President of the Japan Epidemiological Association (JEA)
Deputy Director, Institute for Cancer Control,
National Cancer Center Japan

     I assumed the role of President from Prof. Akiko Tamakoshi at the General Meeting in Nagasaki in January 2026. As one of the few remaining members who participated in the inaugural Tokyo Scientific Meeting held at the JEA's founding, and having been nurtured under the association’s umbrella since that time, I am deeply honored to continue contributing to the JEA in this new capacity.

     Thirty-five years have passed since the JEA's founding in 1991. That's enough time for a person to grow up. I recall that when the Association was founded, Japanese research was scarcely published in English-language journals. Manuscripts submitted from Japan were not necessarily perceived as high quality, and were commonly rejected outright - immediately rejected - often based on mere preconception. Over time, however, the skills and ability of researchers in Japan and the quality of the epidemiological research they produce have improved dramatically, and publication in English-language journals and research by epidemiologists in Japan with a global focus is today commonplace. This change is largely attributable to the JEA's provision, from its very earliest days, of a range of high-quality opportunities: nurturing the next generation of researchers, promoting diversity, internationally promoting the association's journal, the Journal of Epidemiology, and hosting the International Epidemiological Association's World Congress of Epidemiology. These efforts have increased opportunities for motivated researchers to take on new challenges. To maintain this momentum and propel us forward, I believe the JEA's role now is to identify emerging trends and needs in epidemiology early on and to establish systems that create a foundation for researchers at various career levels to experience, challenge, and excel at the forefront of science. I wish to contribute to these efforts by leveraging my role and experience within the JEA and the network of domestic and international researchers it has cultivated.

     It has been 10 years since the JEA established its Future Vision Committee in 2016, and 2 years later the committee published its report titled “Desired Future State in 10 Years”. This new term in the JEA's history is a time to thoroughly evaluate whether these activities were achieved and, if not, to identify the reasons why and the challenges faced. Simultaneously, it is now time to begin considering the next future vision, and setting sights anew on what the JEA should be like 10 years from now. The members of the Future Vision Committee ten years ago, led by former President Prof Akiko Tamakoshi, were primarily mid-career researchers poised to shoulder the JEA's future. Today, these members are in positions from which they can support the JEA. The experience of contemplating and formulating such a future vision is an invaluable opportunity not only to nurture the JEA but also to broaden one's own vision and cultivate leadership. We invite mid-career and early-career researchers who cherish the JEA to participate in this committee, and hope many will join us. Together, we wish to contemplate the future of the JEA and formulate a vision for its achievement.

     Finally, for this term, we have asked Dr. Michikazu Sekine and Dr. Kaori Honjo to serve as Vice Presidents, and Dr. Kosuke Kiyohara to serve as Secretary General. I very much look forward to working closely with them. We sincerely appreciate the support of all our members.

March, 2026