Looking to progress and development 10 years ahead

Chairman of the board directors
Japan Society of Immunology, Allergology and Infection in Otorhinolaryngology (JIAIO)
Yasuaki Harabuchi，MD, Ph.D.

The Japan Society of Immunology, Allergology and Infection in Otorhinolaryngology (JIAIO) is the newest society which has been established in 2020 by the developmental integration of the two societies, the Japan Society of Immunology and Allergology in Otolaryngology (JIAO), with a history of 40 years, and the Japan Society of Infection and Aerosol in Otorhinolaryngology (JSIAO), which has a history of about 50 years. The JIAIO is one of the most important societies in Japan for otorhinolaryngology. In contrast to other societies for otorhinolaryngology in Japan, the aims of JIAIO are to promote the comprehensive and cross-sectional progress and development of immunology, allergology, infectious diseases, and aerosol therapy in upper respiratory tracts and head-neck areas, and to promote mutual exchange and cooperation among members.

As the first chairperson of the Society, I will actively manage the society by carrying on the traditions of our predecessor societies, while devising new and attractive conference plans that will motivate our members to improve the level of scholarship and treatment, integrate cross-cutting fields, promote internationalization, nurture young and younger members, and encourage female doctors to participate in the society.

The following fields and diseases are covered by the Society: allergic diseases such as nasal allergies, oral allergy syndrome, and laryngeal allergies; infectious diseases such as otitis media, sinusitis, pharyngitis/tonsillitis, laryngitis, and deep cervical abscess; mucosal immunology in the upper respiratory tracts, which is closely associated with the pathogenesis of allergic and infectious diseases; autoimmune/autoinflammatory diseases, such as tonsil-induced autoimmune/autoinflammatory diseases (TIAS), otitis media with ANCA-associated vasculitis (OMAAV), granulomatous polyangiitis (GPA), and IgG4-realated diseases, all of which have recently increased with the aging of the population; anti-cancer immunotherapies that have now come to occupy a major position in cancer treatment owing to the development of molecular oncology and tumor immunology; and aerosol therapy for infectious and allergic diseases in upper respiratory tracts. These fields and diseases have common research methods and medical treatment methods, and the main purpose of this society is to conduct research across various fields and utilize them in medical treatment. Above all, medical care and basic research on nasal allergies, a representative of which is cedar pollinosis, which has now become a national illness, form the basis of the "Basic Law on Countermeasures for Allergic Diseases" advocated by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in Japan. In addition, upper respiratory tract infections are the most frequent and important target diseases of the "Anti-Medical Resistance (AMR) Action Plan", which is also advocated by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in Japan. Furthermore, cancer immunotherapy, which targets many head and neck cancers, can be said to be the treatment method that most closely matches the philosophy of the conventional “Basic Law on Cancer Control”. Therefore, it can be said that the members of the Society specializing in this field play an extremely important role in protecting the health of the people from these diseases and leading them to recovery.

On the basis of these backgrounds, five ad hoc committees have been succeeded or newly established for creating medical guidelines for such major diseases: 1) Nasal Allergy Practice Guidelines Committee, 2) Pediatric Acute Otitis Media Guidelines Committee (in cooperation with the Japan Otological Society and Pediatric Society), and 3) Committee on Guidelines for Acute Pharyngitis/Tonsillitis (with the Japanese Society of Oral and Pharyngeal Medicine) have been inherited from the predecessor JIAO or JSIAO. In addition, 4) Study committee for upper respiratory tract infection and the appropriate use of antimicrobial agents, and 5) Committee on Oral Allergy Syndrome Treatment Guidelines were newly established. In addition to these ad hoc committees, 6) Committee for the Promotion of Medical Aerosol Research, 7) Antimicrobial Susceptibility Surveillance Committee, and 8) Infection Control Doctor (ICD) Training Committee, which are standing committees have been inherited from JSIAO.

One of the new projects of the society has established four awards for members who contribute to the development of immunology, allergy, and infectious diseases in the upper respiratory tracts and head and neck area. The first is the "Encouragement Award", which was inherited from the predecessor, JIAO, and is intended to foster young researchers. Researchers who have made outstanding achievements in basic research or clinical research and are expected to contribute greatly to the future development of our field will be awarded the "Society Award". A “Special Award” will be given to members who have contributed to the improvement of our country's position in these research fields. In addition, the "Outstanding Paper Award" has been established for excellent papers and case reports published in the ”Journal of Immunology, Allergy and Infection in Otorhinolaryngology", not only in Japanese but also in English in anticipation of development in the English-language Journal. These awards will help to increase the motivation of the society members towards furthering academic research and treatment. We hope that this will lead to the establishment of a new management system of our Society.

As a new approach to the management of the Society, we have reorganized the eight administrative tasks of the two predecessor societies, that is, general affairs, finances, constitution, journal editing, public relations, liaison, social work, and academics. In addition, we have taken on planning, gender equality, internationalization, and future planning, establishing 12 committees in total. The Planning Committee and the Future Planning Committee are responsible for planning and achieving the medium- and long-term goals of the Society, respectively. Along these lines, the committees’ aims are to attract new members, plan seminars for young researchers and clinicians, conduct basic and clinical research, establish a system for the certification of immunotherapists for allergic diseases and cancer and a system of certifying physicians to promote the proper use of antimicrobial agents for upper respiratory tract infections, and internationalize the journal of the Society. The activities of the Internationalization Committee include collaboration with international academic societies in Europe and the United States, hosting global top-runners, and providing support for young researchers and clinicians to study abroad.

Gender equality is one of the major pillars of our society. We actively promote women in the management of our society, and have established slots for female board members. We also appoint many women as permanent secretaries, committee chairpersons, and members, and look forward to their tremendous contributions to the development of the Society. We hope that they will also play an active role as role models for young female doctors who wish to advance their careers.

These are my ambitions as the first chairperson of the newly created society. To achieve these goals, cooperation and support among myself and the executive committee, including the directors, auditors, and secretaries, as well as all of our members are essential. What will it take to encourage many young teachers to willingly participate? I am renewing my resolve to unite everyone’s wisdom to create a new trend with a view to progress and development in the next ten years. I would like to thank you for your support and cooperation.