(Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan)

My name is Aikou Okamoto, and I have been appointed President of the Japanese Society of Clinical Cytology (JSCC) for the period 2023-2025. On the occasion of assuming the position of President, I would like to extend my greetings to all of you.

I started basic research using cancer cells at the National Cancer Center (now National Cancer Research Center) Research Institute in 1989. During this time, I have been supported by many of my seniors, peers, and juniors, and in 2012, I became a board-certified cytologist of this society and have studied cytological diagnosis and society management extensively.

In 2013, our society was incorporated as a public interest incorporated association, and is now positioned as a public interest organization. And although the society has developed into an academic organization recognized both in name and reality with this incorporation as a starting point, it is necessary to maintain this status and contribute to society. In order to continue to make great strides forward, we decided that we must present a clear vision for the future and make it a reality. We aimed to achieve this in three ways: (1) to support the medical community, (2) to actively support research activities, and (3) to disseminate information on cytological diagnosis.

First, (1) in response to the release of the “Updated Guidelines for Cervical Cancer Screening Based on Efficacy Evaluation” by the National Cancer Center, Dr. Yukitoshi Sato, former President of the Board of Directors, released a statement to the members regarding the contents of this “Updated Version”. The Society will continue to monitor the situation in medicine and society, and will make announcements as necessary. We would like to establish a more accurate institutional management of uterine cancer screening by utilizing the knowledge and experience of cytological diagnosis examiners and cytological diagnosis specialists. In other words, we would like to qualify uterine cancer screening program accuracy management, including accuracy management using HPV testing and cytological diagnosis. Furthermore, we would like to focus on the working style and task shift of cytologists.

Next, with regard to (2) supporting proactive research activities, we have provided various grants for research projects in the field of cytological diagnosis, all of which have produced positive results. We believe that support for research on cancer genomics is important for the practice of cancer genome medicine. Specifically, we prepared and published the “Guidelines for the Handling of Cytodiagnosis Forms in Cancer Genome Medicine” and provided support for the promotion of academic research on cytodiagnosis as special academic research. These results have been sequentially published on our website, and we hope you will make use of them. We will continue to support such academic research and survey activities as they will be the foundation and assets for the future of the Society and cytodiagnosis.

In April 2024, we will celebrate the 10th anniversary of our incorporation as a public interest incorporated association, and we would like to educate young people about cytological diagnosis.

The environment surrounding medical care is rapidly changing, including digitalization and AI in the era of the new coronavirus, making it even more difficult to envision the future. Even in these times, the Japanese Society of Clinical Cytology will continue to contribute to the maintenance of people’s health through cytological diagnosis and to develop as a group that pursues medicine and science, and we hope to advance together with you. We will also focus on the efficient management of this society. We sincerely ask for the continued understanding and support of our members and all related parties.