I am Hiroshi Miyamoto M.D. from the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kobe Rosai Hospital, who will be the president of the 33rd Annual Meeting of the Japan Society for the Study of Surgical Technique for Spine and Spinal Nerves (JPSTSS). I am very honored to be entrusted with the role of president of this society, which has a long history. I believe that this society is a unique conference in the world based on the philosophy that orthopedic surgery and neurosurgery come and work together, share knowledge and experiences with each other, and learn together. The will is high, and the three principles of "fusion of orthopedics and neurosurgery," "individual-centered participation," and "simultaneous progress with the world" put forward by Dr. Kumano, the chief advisor of the association at the beginning of its founding, have been continuously adhered to and continue to flow at the foundation of the society. Unlike today's data-oriented conferences, this society emphasizes the stance of learning from individual cases, and since we have many presentations specializing in surgical techniques, you will never get bored of what you see. In other words, I am confident that the society will continue to have a one-of-a-kind existence value, and that its legacy will be passed down and further development will continue in the future. By the way, the 33rd Kobe Convention, the slogan of the meeting is "Enthusiastic for talking everything about spine surgery in a harbour, Kobe!" I said. These are pure words that spring up from within me, and I will work hard to make them come true. On the first day of this conference, we will first hold the Kumano Sano International Debate 2026, which will be the highlight of the conference. The content was "Surgical treatment for cervical spine deformity: Western and Japanese ways of thinking." As overseas presenter, Dr. Han Jo Kim (Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), New York, the United States) who is one of the leaders of the cervical deformity surgery in the U.S. will take stage. We also offer a number of debate sessions. In these sessions, I will address topics that surgeons are curious about on a daily basis, such as whether OLIF51 is necessary whether a jacking-up cage is sufficient for the treatment of adult spinal deformities, or whether UBE (BESS) outperforms MED etc.. The symposium and main topics include diagnosis and treatment of upper cervical spine lesions, treatment of spinal cord tumors, treatment of osteoporotic vertebral fractures, usefulness of new technologies (AI, AR, exoscopy), pit holes and their countermeasures in relatively new procedures such as OLIF 51, TDR, UBE, and ACR, Sessions include treatment of cervical spine deformity and its complications, treatment of adult spinal deformity and its complications, and MIS. In addition, as a unique project, we would like to organize a "Legend Talk" in which great seniors will talk about it, and a talk such as "A bird's-eye view of spine surgery from the standpoint of a practitioner" by inviting successful doctors who have been running their own businesses. In addition, we plan to hold a session on the current status of overseas exchange programs (Vietnam, Cambodia, Nepal, etc.) that have been significantly improved in Asian countries in recent years. On Friday, we will have a social gathering at the Portopia Hotel and welcome the attendees with an increasingly popular annual band performance by spine surgeon musicians. Kobe is still lingering summer in September, but despite being one of Japan's leading tourist destinations, Kobe has not yet been swept away by the wave of inbound tourism, and I think you can relax and unwind slowly. Please not only participate in the conference and bring a lot of knowledge, but also enjoy fun memories such as sightseeing, dining, shopping, entertainment, and nightlife in Kobe. We look forward to seeing you all in Kobe in September.

Hiroshi Miyamoto MD
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kobe Rosai Hospital