Member Society Highlight (August): JSA

JSA has made considerable contribution to the development of the speciality of Allergy. JSA hosted APAAACI symposia at the 67th and 68th JSA Annual congress. The society has also supported the participation of young Japanese doctors to APAAACI congresses via travel grants. Several leaders of APAAACI have originated from JSA and we are grateful for their immense contribution. JSA will host the APAAACI 2020 congress with APAPARI as a Conjoint congress with JSA WAC 2020.. We wish JSA continued success.

The Japanese Society of Allergology is made up of medical researchers and clinical physicians who share an involvement in the study of allergies and clinical immunology. Clinical subspecialties include such allergies and immune-response disorders as bronchial asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, collagen disease, allergic rhinitis, pollinosis, hives, atopic dermatitis, and immunodeficiency. However, there are many patients afflicted by other allergies as well. The Society considers all such patients and disorders within its purview.

The Society was born in the following background. In 1949 an allergy and anaphylaxis research team was established, supported by the grant-in-aid for scientific research (general research) from the Ministry of Education Science and Culture (now the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan). Under the leadership of Dr. Keizo Nakamura of the National Institute of Health (now the National Institute of Infectious Disease), researchers in the field gathered from around the country to pursue comprehensive basic and clinical research over a period of three years. During this time, a consensus emerged in favour of launching an allergology society.

The JSA’s activities includes the followings.

1. Sponsoring academic meetings – In 2019 the Society had the 68th Annual Meeting of JSA in Tokyo. The number of the participants was 6,800.

2. Publishing journals – Japanese Society of Allergology written in Japanese and Allergology International in English.

3. Promoting communication among affiliates

4. Promoting communication with related organs and academic societies in Japan

5. Corresponding and working with overseas allergology associations and similar groups internationally on behalf of allergy specialists in Japan – The Society is a member of World Allergy Organization (WAO) and Asia Pacific Association of Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology (APAAACI).

6. Certification of doctors, allergists, teaching doctors, and teaching facilities specializing in treatment of allergies

7. Other activities necessary to achieving the Society's mission

The World Allergy Congress (formerly the International Congress of Allergology and Clinical Immunology) has been held twice in Japan, once in Tokyo (1973) and once in Kyoto (1991). The Society will co-host the WAC in the year 2020. The JSA/WAO Joint Congress 2020 will be held from September 17 to 20, 2020 in Kyoto, Japan. This time, the congress will also be held in conjunction with the APAAACI/APAPARI 2020 Congress.

The Society now stands with the membership of 11,729 as of March 2019 and the leadership of the President, Prof. Kenji Izuhara, Division of Medical Biochemistry, Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Saga Medical School, Saga, Japan.

Japanese Society of Allergology (JSA)