Seiji Kakehata, MD, PhD
Chair - Board of Directors
Japan Otological Society (JOS)

"Do not forget the beginning"

These are the famous words of the Noh playwright and actor Zeami and are generally considered to mean that one should not forget what motivated the start of a journey. However, I was taught that every turn in my life is about stepping out of my comfort zone and accepting new challenges. The Japan Otological Society has also adopted this stance and accepted the challenge of contributing both at home and abroad to the advancement of our field as evidenced by the recently held the 30th Anniversary Meeting of the Japan Otological Society. This Meeting saw numerous distinguished speakers from around the world who presented the latest findings. In this vein, we must continue to look beyond existing borders and adopt new and innovative approaches that will contribute to advances in our field.

"Seek the aspirations of the elders rather than the paths of the elders"

This is my favorite saying by the poet Basho. To achieve commonly held aspirations and overcome challenges, we should not limit ourselves to those paths taken by our predecessors. We should take on these challenges by exploring new paths and being open to new and emerging developments and approaches.

"The study of the ear and hearing is a source of endless wonder and fascination"

We, as otologists, are working in a field which holds out the promise of new discoveries and breakthrough paradigms. We all should not shy away from but rather embrace the excitement and challenge of opening the door to these discoveries and paradigms. Let us all work together to satisfy not only our intellectual curiosity, but also translate the fruits of our labor into beneficial results for our patients and society at large.

"We are all in this together"

We aim to build a better world by performing our duties with the highest level of integrity in our clinical practice of otology. We can contribute to a better quality of life for our own patients and patients around the world who will benefit from our endeavors. Let us all join hands and strive to expand the reach of otology.

The Japan Otological Society shall continue to encourage and support our members who take up the challenges inherent in being a practicing otologist.