International Committee

The international committee of the Japanese Society for Spine Surgery and Related Research (JSSR) determined to send Japanese spinal surgeons to other Asian countries so that Japan would play a leading role among the Asian countries by promoting surgical techniques and information exchange with other countries especially in Asia. In 2006, we initiated to dispatch young spinal surgeons (aged 45 years or younger) to Asian countries to provide lectures, training and information exchange. Eight spine surgeons in first two years and later 12 spine surgeons were selected as Asian travelling fellows and sent to two of various Asian countries as; China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan and Viet Nam. The fellows were dispatched for 2 weeks (1week in each country) with a budget of travel. All of them reported that they had precious experience and expressed deep gratitude to the physicians at the individual hospitals and medical facilities where they stayed for their hospitality.

Concurrently, we also established a senior visiting scholar program, similar to APOA Visiting Scholar Program. Every year two senior doctors visited a couple of Asian countries to demonstrate their spine surgeries and have lectures with a budget from JSSR.

Based on the proposal by Dr. Shoichi Kokubun, an alliance was established with the societies of spine surgery in South Korea and Taiwan to promote globalization of the Asian societies of spine surgery. In addition, we have invited several doctors who offered our fellows great hospitality in Asian countries, to the annual JSSR meeting every year since 2006. This aimed to further our relationship with them.

Dr Shoichi Kokubun, Dr Kuniyoshi Abumi and Dr Katsuji Shimizu made great efforts for the education of young Asian spinal surgeons and establishment of Asian travelling fellowship & Scholar fellowship. Thanks to them, we could carry on our international activities in spine field. We would like to fulfill the mission imposed us. We will work hard through promoting publicity activities of JSSR and exchanging knowledge with foreign doctors in not only Asian countries, but also other countries.