Brief history of the Japan Pancreas Society.

Abstract

In 1963, research on pancreatic disease gradually started to increase in Japan. Investigators in the field of pancreatic disease wanted a place to exchange their opinions, and, one night at a meeting of the Japanese Society of Gastroenterology, they formed their own group called the “Pancreas Research Study Group of Young Investigators.” In 1969, Dr. Kaneo Ishi proposed the establishment of a Pancreas Research Group and founded the Pancreatic Research Study Group as a society. The first meeting of this society was held in Osaka in March 1970 with Dr. Shiro Hosoda (Shiga University) as chairman. The meetings of this society were initially held twice a year, before the meetings of the Japanese Society of Gastroenterology. Beginning in 1971, the text of the presentation was published in the Proceedings by Dr. Seiji Naitoh (Juntendo University). The first volume of the Proceedings included 1) “Reevaluation of the Pancreatozymin-Secretin Test,” 2) “Pancreatolithiasis: Functional Disturbance and Treatment,” 3) “Digestive Hormone and Pancreatic Function,” and 4) “How to Interpret the Bile Duct Findings in the Pancreatic Head as Demonstrated by Various Imagings.” Since then, membership in this group has steadily increased. Dr. Shingo Aoyama became the first president of the Pancreas Research Study Group in 1969 and served as president until 1973 (Fig. 1). From 1973 to 1981, Dr. Shoichi Yamagata served as the second president, and, in 1981, Dr. Ichio Honjo became the third president. During Dr. Honjo’s presidency, upper gastrointestinal specialists became interested in the pancreas, and the number of members increased to more than 2,000. In 1985, the Pancreas Research Study Group became independent of the Japanese Society of Gastroenterology, and the Japan Pancreas Society was officially established. The first issue of the journal Received February 7, 2002; revised manuscript accepted March 6, 2002. Address correspondence and reprint requests to Kazunori Takeda, M.D., Division of Gastroenterological Surgery, Tohoku University, School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan. E-mail: kktakeda@surg1.med.tohoku.ac.jp