On 3rd June 2021, the 4th Hokkaido-Khabarovsk Joint Symposium was held based on face-to-face format in Khabarovsk, Russia. The event was transmitted via internet for Russian participants from further afield as well as Japanese colleagues. This symposium was organized in cooperation between Health Sciences University of Hokkaido (HSUH), Institute of Postgraduate Education for Public Health Specialists (IPKSZ), and Ministry of Health of the Khabarovsk Regional Government. The 4th symposium was originally planned in June 2020; however, it was postponed until now due to the global spread of COVID-19.
The symposium opened with the commemorative video-presentation by President Masahiro Asaka which introduced his production “Defeating stomach cancer’’ in Russian language version. During the Symposium, his copies book were gifted to Russian participants who visited in the auditorium. Associate Prof. Yutaka Kawano of Institute of Preventive Medical Science, HSUH Hospital, Prof. Nobuhiko Takahashi of Department of Internal Medicine, School of Dentistry, and Prof. Yasuhiro Kuramitsu of Advanced Research Promotion Center delivered video presentations in the main session. Their works concerning advanced research against cancer and diabetes attracted substantial interest from the Russian healthcare personnel.
The symposium was successfully concluded. Doctor Chizhova of President of IPKSZ emphasized that the interactive exchange between IPKSZ and HSUH significantly contributed to promote further friendship between Russia and Japan. HSUH strongly hope that the pandemic will be reduced as soon as possible and restart face-to-face interaction.
