Welcome from Co-organizing Societies

On behalf of all the members dealing with blood transfusion in Japan, we would like to extend a sincere welcome to everyone coming to Japan.

The Japanese Society of Blood Transfusion was established in 1952 and hosted the VIIIth International Congress of the ISBT in Tokyo, in 1960, which was instrumental in developing Japanese transfusion medicine, as well as the XXIVth International Congress of ISBT in Tokyo, 1996, where we had a wonderful time in discussion with attendees from all over the world. The name of the society was changed to The Japanese Society of Transfusion Medicine and Cell Therapy in 2006, broadening the range of topics on which participants may research and present. We have held autumn symposiums to discuss important topics in transfusion medicine besides annual meetings for fifteen years.

Blood Banking in Japan has been restricted by the government to voluntary donated blood since 1964 and entrusted to the Japanese Red Cross Society. Staff and researchers of blood centres organize the Japanese Society of Blood Programme and have held congresses for presentations and education about better blood banking every autumn since 1987.

Departments of Blood Transfusion in university hospitals have been gradually set up in Japan since 1949, and their directors have met to discuss better blood banking in university hospitals and education of transfusion medicine for university students every autumn since 1970. In recent autumn symposiums, members of these Japanese Societies, hospital staff dealing with blood transfusions, blood bankers, and researchers of transfusion medicine have gathered for discussion about safe and effective blood transfusion. This time, we are honoured to have this valuable opportunity to co-host societies with the XXth Regional Congress of the ISBT.

It is a great pleasure for us to meet you, specialists of transfusion medicine from all over the world. We are looking forward to talking with you in Nagoya.