Introduction
I am honored to be appointed as the President of the Japan Society of Ningen Dock. It is with renewed dedication that I take the challenge of further developing this auspicious society, and I would appreciate your kind support for my humble efforts.

Aspirations
Since the inception of the society in 1959 as the Short-term Comprehensive Medical Examination (Ningen Dock) Supervisors Course under the Japan Association of Hospitals (presently known as the Japan Hospital Association), it has been the driving force in the field of preventive medicine in Japan over the past 60 years. Notably, one of the pillars of preventive medicine in Japan is comprehensive medical examinations (health check-ups).

Although the Ningen Dock business grew rapidly during the period of high economic growth in the 20th century, since the turn of the century, factors, such as the declining birthrate and the aging population, which lead to a decrease in population and graying of population in Japan, remarkable advances in information systems, and the development of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, DNA testing, and liquid biopsies, have brought us to a major turning point and a time of great change. In addition, the global spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has created a dramatic and revolutionary paradigm shift in terms of the general public’s perception and concept of what is normal, and it has challenged their values. For example, there have been fascinating changes in terms of the way in which conferences and meetings are held. It is in the midst of such turbulent times that I find myself appointed as the President of the Japan Society of Ningen Dock.

I personally had the privilege of working under the guidance of the previous three presidents. The first was Dr. Masaharu Nara, an outstanding leader with a skill to find and nurture new and competent personnel. The second was Dr. Yukito Shinohara, who led by example and had an outstanding ability to propose ideas as well as to implement them. The third was my predecessor, Dr. Takao Aizawa, who channelized the passion of our members and the society’s expectations and implemented the drastic structural reforms that have enabled the society to maximize its potential as a leader among health check-up/preventive health care organizations. By combining key personnel and expertise, he was able to establish many new committees, the results of which, I believe, we are just starting to see.

I believe that the objectives of the Japan Society of Ningen Dock are to help popularize and improve the quality of not only the Ningen Dock but also health check-up businesses and businesses related to preventive health care as a whole. With the help of our board members, staff, and members who have worked hard over many years to build this organization, I would like to share the benefits of the Ningen Dock and health check-ups with the next generation and society as a whole.

Main Thrust and Specific Goals of our Activities and Objectives
As a society, I would like us to bear in mind the following three points while conducting health check-ups and other activities associated with preventive health care:

1）Win-Win Situation for Three Parties: When conducting health check-ups, it is important to ensure that the benefits are shared by the medical professionals involved in the check-ups, the people undergoing the check-ups, and the society as a whole.

2）Advertise the Benefits of Health Check-ups: It is important to advertise the benefits of health check-ups to the government, general population, and medical professionals. Based on the examination data, we will compile an evidence pool that presents the benefits of health check-ups, and we will widely share it with the government and society.

3）Find and Train Competent Personnel: Astounding progress is being made in the field of health check-ups. To keep up with the changing times, we are all required to constantly adapt to the flow of new concepts and novel technologies. Unless we can do so appropriately and precisely, it will be difficult for us to survive as an organization. In accordance with the principles of immutability and fluidity, as espoused by Basho, we need new personnel who can push forward and implement changes. These new personnel will inherit our knowledge and skills regarding health check-ups/preventive health care, and they will further adapt them according to the needs of the times. I believe that finding and nurturing such competent personnel is essential.

Based on these three points, I see us mainly engaging in the following four types of activities:

1） Activities supporting the improvement and expansion of health check-up/preventive health care facilities: It is important to ensure the quality of the facilities offering different types of health check-up/preventive health care so that people can have a safe, secure, and comfortable experience Moreover, it is important to promote activities for ensuring that the accuracy of these facilities is maintained on an ongoing basis.

2）Activities to foster medical professionals for the health check-up/preventive health care industry: We plan to undertake measures to help foster doctors, technicians, nurses, and office workers who can be involved in the health check-up/preventive health care industry for 10–20 years. We will also try various approaches to find new personnel.

3）Activities to research, announce, and publish information about the check-up/preventive health care system and its benefits: There is an urgent need to publish the benefits of preventive medicine, which are compiled using appropriate statistical techniques based on collected health check-up data.

4）Activities that publicize the health check-up/preventive health care system: In order to spread awareness about the benefits and significance of health check-ups, it is crucial to make policy proposals, place opinion advertising in the media, and collaborate with other groups. This will in turn expand the health check-up/preventive health care industry.

Based on these four activities, let us strive to work in the spirit of self-discipline and mutual prosperity for the future of the industry.

I extend this greeting to you as I take the reins as the President, and I humbly seek your continued support and cooperation to further the activities of the society. Thank you.