Winter is approaching and the days are getting shorter. It is time to review this year and think about the next one.
It is regrettable that we had to give up the annual chapter meeting (Kyoto) in June due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It was a pity too that the IM meeting 2020 (LA) in April was cancelled and the fall meeting of Board of Governors (Savannah, GA) in October was changed to a virtual meeting.
I am thankful for our chapter members who have dedicated themselves to their patients and the society in the difficult time of pandemic. I am also thankful for our advisory council and committees who have been busy with the work of our chapter.
I’d like to take the opportunity to congratulate Keijiro Saku, MD, MACP, on his election to Mastership in the College. Dr. Saku, the President of Fukuoka University, was a person of distinguished service in the beginning period of our chapter.
Also congratulations to the new fellows for 2020: Tadashi Matsumura (March), Kazuaki Jindai, Takashi Matono (July), Tomohito Gohda, Mitsushige Nishimura, Eiichiro Sando, Kazutomo Sawai, Ryoma Tanaka, Ryusuke Yoshimi, Yuki Kataoka (September), Naoko Iwasaki, Yoshitsugu Obi, Kazuhiro Takahashi, and Yoshitaka Tomoda (November). Congratulations to all! Dr. Naoko Iwasaki was elected directly upon nomination by the Governor with a help from Women’s Committee (chair: Noriko Yamamoto) in response to a new College initiative to appropriately recognize outstanding women members.
In closing – I am amazed at what we can do with technology, such as meetings through Zoom and other platforms. There are so many events with this technology in 2021. In February, the first Asian chapters’ conference in virtual style, the Asian ACPCON 2021, will be hosted by India chapter. The IM meeting 2021 during April 29th to May 1st will go virtual too, and we are also planning to hold a hybrid or virtual chapter meeting in June. So please stay tuned!
Please feel free to contact us if you have questions or suggestions. I wish you a peaceful holiday season.
Yours,
Kenji Maeda