Japanese Scoliosis Society (JSS) launched the first annual meeting in 1968, under the leadership of Professor Kengo Yamada. For more than 50 years since then, JSS has provided a significant contribution to the scientific and therapeutic progress in the field of spinal deformity. This achievement would not have been possible without the extraordinary efforts of our former presidents and members for more than five decades.

JSS, which has 760 members as of August 2020, is continuously growing as young spine surgeons in Japan are highly motivated to enhance their knowledge and skills for the recent progress in medical treatment for spinal deformity.

In August 2016, JSS adopted a new administrative system operated by a board of directors. Professor Morio Matsumoto, Keio University, was appointed to the first JSS President in the new system of JSS. Under his strong leadership, JSS has achieved tremendous progression in both medical science and therapeutics. It is a great honor for me to succeed the president of JSS after Prof. Matsumoto from November 2020.

Spine deformity affects people in all generations, from infants to the elderly, and it causes not only cosmetic problems but also pulmonary dysfunction, back pain, neurological deficits, gastrointestinal dysfunction, impairing patients’ QOL and the life expectancy especially in the elderly. JSS will continue to tackle these clinical problems and difficulties in managing patients with symptomatic spine deformity.

JSS proposes 4 main missions as listed below.

1) To contribute the scientific progress in basic and clinical research on spine deformity,
2) To provide patients and their families with precise and understandable information about the pathology and treatment options for spine deformity,
3) To become an international medical society by actively communicating with researchers and medical care providers throughout the world,
4) To foster young medical professionals based on scientific evidence in the field of spinal deformity.

I am very looking forward to working with all the members of JSS to further improve the medical environments for those suffering from spine deformity.

Sincerely

Manabu Ito