Picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) is a current research topic in both the United States and Japan. During the past 6 years, our department has been working in this field very closely with our colleagues in Japan. In July 1 986, we attended the Third International Symposium on Picture Archiving and Communication Systems/Personal Health Data Recording Systems (JPACS) in conjunction with the Fifth Symposium on Medical Imaging and Technology (JAMIT) at the National Cancer Center in Tokyo. After the meeting, we visited various PACS research and development laboratories at major imaging manufacturers and hospitals. We summarized our impressions in a commentary: “Picture Archiving and Communication Systems in Japan” [1 ]. Since then, we have successfully implemented two PACS modules, one in the pediatric radiology section and one in the coronary care unit [2, 3]. More than 200 visitors from Japan have come to see our facilities. Among these visitors was Professor T. Takahasi from Kyoto University Hospital, who was the program chairman of the Eighth Symposium of JAMIT/Sixth International Symposium on PACS in July 1 989. After his visit, he extended an invitation to us to give the keynote speech, “Recent Progress in PACS” for the meeting. We took this opportunity to go back to Japan and repeat the hospital and laboratory tour in order to observe their research and development progress in PACS during the past 3 years. This paper is a summary of our opinion ofthe changes that have occurred in Japan since our last visit of the status of PACS in that country compared with that in ours. The JAMIT Meeting and the JPACS Meeting