WELCOME LETTER
Welcome
On behalf of the Japanese Society of Nuclear Medicine (JSNM), I would like to cordially invite you to Kyoto, the host city of the 13th Congress of the World Federation of Nuclear Medicine and Biology to be held in 2022 (WFNMB 2022). The 1st WFNMB Congress was realized in Tokyo and Kyoto in 1974 and was a great success. We firmly believe that WFNMB 2022 will be an equally good opportunity to gather once again in Japan in order to summarize the accomplishments of the WFNMB during the past half century and discuss strategies for the future of the WFNMB as well as of nuclear medicine itself in the next half century. Kyoto was the city where the closing ceremony of the 1st Congress was conducted, making it fitting that it will become the opening door to a new era of WFNMB.
JSNM would like to enhance mutual collaboration among colleagues of the nuclear medicine community throughout the world. In order to promote nuclear medicine in daily clinical practice as well as the research field, as many countries as possible should discuss together at a single table in the WFNMB Congress. One of the major missions of WFNMB is to provide opportunities for education, study and research especially to young fellows. It is very important for them to obtain information of these activities in a timely manner. The WFNMB Congress is one of the key resources for these purposes. Therefore, we would sincerely like to request your country to join it to promote the bright future of all of our young fellows.
Kyoto is the cultural heart of Japan and boasts over a millennium of history featuring a stunning total of 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites all located less than 30 minutes apart. The best way to discover the “real Japan” is to include Kyoto in your itinerary. Kyoto has been voted the best travel destination in Japan by various travel magazines and web media. This friendly city of 1.5 million people offers endless opportunities to gain meaningful hands-on experience of rich Japanese culture through tea ceremony, sake brewing, kimono wearing, swordsmanship and many more activities.
Post-congress cultural social activities will be planned in Kanazawa located just 2 hours ride by express train from Kyoto. Kanazawa is an old city of Samurai Culture in contrast to the Court Culture in Kyoto. It was a great castle town ruled by influential lords from the late 16th century to second half of the 19th century. The area surrounding Kanazawa is famous for hot springs and its cuisine making use of fresh fish and vegetables. The rice wine (sake) produced in this region is of high quality, smooth and sweet, derived from the rice grown in Ishikawa Prefecture as well as the considerable precipitation of the Hokuriku region.
The Department of Nuclear Medicine, Kanazawa University, where I have been serving as chairperson since 2006, was established in 1973 as the very first department of nuclear medicine at a Japanese university. Therefore, the length of the history of my place closely coincides with that of WFNMB. This coincidence is another reason making Kanazawa a suitable place, in addition to Kyoto, to talk about both the past and future of nuclear medicine.
It is my heartfelt wish that you allow us to welcome you all to Japan. We will do our best to be able to offer you a great time in both Kyoto and Kanazawa.
Sincerely,
Seigo Kinuya
WFNMB2022 Congress Chair
Professor, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Kanazawa University, Japan
