Japan

Kensuke Joh, MD, PhD
Chiba-East National Hospital

Let me explain the activity of the year 2007 of the Japanese Renal Pathology Society as a role of the secretary of this society, which was founded in 2002. In Japan, The Year 2007 begins on April 2007 and ends on March 2008.

1. We had the 6th annual meeting , which is financially supported by the grant from the Japan Renal Foundation, on 12-13th January, 2008, We invited Dr. Franco Ferrario, who had a lecture on " Repeat biopsy in lupus nephritis: importance for evaluation of renal activity". The meeting was for 2 days and included 1. preparation for the revision of "The standardization of pathological diagnosis of renal biopsy, 1st edition, which was supported by Japanese Society of Nephrology", 2. Case discussion, 3. Topics, and 4. Invited English Lecture (Dr. Ferrario from Italy and Dr. Zou from China).
3. As for the scientific collaboration in the field of renal pathology between Japan and the other Asian countries, we founded a regular renal pathology meeting between Japanese and Korea. In November 2007, we had the third meeting in Jeju Island on 26-28, October, 2007.

4. At the annual meeting of Japanese Society of Nephrology (25-27th, May, 2007), the Japanese renal pathology society can now sponsor 3 regular programs, which consist of Renal Pathology CME, consultation program for renal biopsy, and the program for the standardization of the renal biopsy diagnosis.
5. We had the 3rd summer seminar(18-19, August, 2007) of renal pathology diagnosis for the beginners (pathologists and nephrologists), which will be regularly continued every year in the future on behalf of the Japanese Society of Nephrology.

6. In the year, 2005, we have published 2 books, which are "the Japanese translation of WHO tubulointerstitial, and vascular disease, written by  S. V. Seshan, V. D'Agati, G. Appel and J. Churg" and "The standardization of pathological diagnosis of renal biopsy, 1st edition, which was supported by Japanese Society of Nephrology.