Foreword

Abstract

The contents of this supplement to Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics consist of the papers that were delivered as oral presentations at the 9th Taisho International Symposium on Gastroenterology, held in Shimoda, Japan, on 26–27 April 2001 – our first meeting of the 21st century. Shimoda should be remembered as the town where the arrival of the American `black ships', under Commander Perry, led to the abolition of the isolation policy established by Japan's feudal government, thus presenting the country with the opportunity to make its entrance on to the world stage. It is a pretty city, blessed with abundant natural beauty, and is a very appropriate venue for such an international conference. In this historic place, over 100 young Japanese gastroenterologists and five physicians invited from overseas gathered to exchange new knowledge, new findings and new opinions on questions concerning the digestive system and its functions and malfunctions, working by trial and error towards greater understanding. Enthusiastic discussions arose on a wide variety of topics, such as the mechanisms of gastrointestinal mucosal injury and its repair, the problems of Helicobacter pylori, and the mechanisms whereby carcinoma develops in the digestive organs, with the result that the 2 days of the conference seemed to come to an end almost before they had begun. For myself as an organizer of the symposium, nothing was more pleasing than to observe the young Japanese researchers taking such an energetic part in the discussions. The way in which these junior Japanese doctors actively debated in English with the physicians invited from abroad, and did so on a relatively equal footing, would have been unthinkable just 10 years ago. For the progress made in this country in this field, and for the nurturing of our young doctors over the years, I would like to express my deep gratitude to those who took the trouble to travel from other countries to these symposia. Moreover, it is my impression of this symposium that the immediate future of gastroenterology will be focused more and more on oesophageal disorders, in particular, on GERD; on the connection between H. pylori, the key to the development of gastric cancer, and chronic gastritis; on enteric diseases, especially inflammatory bowel disease; and on diseases affecting the motility of the digestive tract. Research techniques are also undergoing a great transformation centring on molecular biology, genetic engineering and approaches from the host side, making extensive use of methods such as DNA array techniques possible. Taking place at the opening of the 21st century, when gastroenterology is at a stage marked by massive innovation and development, this symposium has been of great importance in throwing light on directions for the future. The publication of material covered by the symposium under one cover in Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, is a highly significant event in terms of nurturing dialog on gastroenterology with other gastroenterologists from around the world. The symposium has been conducted every 2 years with the support of Taisho Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. Our next symposium will be the tenth, and the intention of the organizers is to commemorate the occasion with a series of memorable events. Finally, we would like to join people from all over the world in remembering the deep shock and anger felt at the acts of terror perpetrated in New York on 11 September this year, while at the same time feeling misgivings concerning the far-reaching effects that those fearful acts may have on future international conferences. We can only pray that, by the time of our next scheduled symposium in 2003, the spectre of terrorism will have been laid to rest. I would also like to offer my prayers for the repose of the more than 5000 souls who were the victims of that horrific event. May God bless them.