Dear Friends and Colleagues,

 The 36th Annual Meeting of the Japanese society of Congenital Interventional Cardiology (JCIC) will be held for 3 days from Thursday, January 22nd to Saturday, January 24th, 2026, at the Kawasaki City Industrial Promotion Hall. This will be the first time in 18 years to be held in Yokohama area since the 19th meeting (In 2008, President, Professor Seiyo Yasui). It is a great honor to be appointed President of the Annual Meeting, and I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all the colleagues who nominated me.

 The theme of this academic conference is "Learn and Practice." Catheterization for congenital heart disease has been applied to a wide range of ages, from fetal and neonatal periods to adult congenital heart disease (ACHD). BAS (balloon atrial septostomy), for example, its indication and purpose have become increasingly diverse, from those aiming to save the lives of newborns to those aiming to improve pulmonary circulation and Fontan circulation.

 Furthermore, efficient treatment using devices not yet approved in Japan is being implemented overseas, and there is no end to what we can learn. This conference is especially designed for all participants to share and learn about various techniques, tips and know-how using the devices through live sessions. There are no boundaries between experts and trainees.

 For the live session, we will invite Professor Gi Beom Kim from Seoul University, Professor Nguyen Tin from Children's Hospital 1 in Vietnam, and Professor Yun-Ching Fu from National Chung Hsing University in Taiwan, and relay their catheter techniques from each cath lab. The intention of inviting professors from Asia is to allow young doctors to get a feel of the local atmosphere, as many of them are familiar to study abroad especially in Asia, and to serve as a bridge for future study and development. I believe we can learn a lot by observing up close procedures that are relatively new in Japan, such as PDA stenting, and treatment using unapproved devices.

 Moreover, as our former President, Professor Nishikawa, mentioned in his greetings, we need to discuss how to position catheterization in the context of comprehensive lifelong medical care. We are going to provide a forum for discussion based on both advanced procedures and holistic medicine.
 We are making every effort to prepare for this conference to pass on the history we have built up over the past 35 conventions to the next generation. At the reception, a fun event where you can fully use your brain, skills and body is in the plan. Please do not miss it!

 Finally, many of you may not be “familiar” with Kawasaki city, but it is conveniently located near Haneda Airport and adjacent to Shinagawa and Yokohama station, yet has a somewhat friendly, tasteful atmosphere. We look forward to meeting you all in person and engaging in lively discussions.