Hiroshi Ono, MD
President of the Japanese Society of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery
(The National Center for Child Health and Development)
It is my great honor to be appointed President of the Japanese Society of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery (JSPCCS) from this August. My name is Hiroshi Ono, and I am from the National Center for Child Health and Development.
The JSPCCS was founded in 1965 as the Society of Pediatric Cardiology, and this year marks its 60th anniversary. As a member of the Japan Medical Association and a leading academic organization in pediatric medicine, we have always been at the forefront of this field.
Our society’s mission is: ‘To promote the health and welfare of people worldwide by overcoming heart diseases through medical treatment and research focused on pediatric diseases, especially congenital heart disease, and through the prevention of lifestyle-related diseases from childhood.’ To achieve this, we have centered our activities on four pillars: ‘Medical Care,’ ‘Research,’ ‘Education,’ and ‘Social Contribution.’ Under the leadership of our former president, Dr. Hiroyuki Yamagishi, we have recently adopted the theme of ‘Academic for Social,’ placing a strong emphasis on social contribution alongside medical care and research.
The environment surrounding children today is undergoing significant change. In 2024, the number of births in Japan dropped below 700,000 for the first time, to 686,000, and the total fertility rate fell to 1.15, highlighting the severity of the declining birth rate. Although the Children and Families Agency was established in 2023, the effects of its policies on this issue have been limited so far. In this situation, it is a major challenge for our society to determine how we can best contribute to society.
Our mission as an academic organization is also extremely important. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s ‘White Paper on Science and Technology Innovation’ points out a decline in Japan’s research capabilities. Our society promotes research support and collaboration among industry, academia, and government. In addition to our Japanese-language journal, the ‘Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery’ which was first published in 1985, we launched the English-language ‘Journal of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery’ in 2017. However, the number of submissions remains insufficient. We sincerely welcome active submissions not only from our members but also from a wide range of professionals in related fields.
Furthermore, our society is tackling internationalization and digitalization as key issues. We have deepened our exchanges with international societies, including the American Heart Association and the Association for European Paediatric and Congenital Cardiology, and we will continue to promote cooperation with other Asian countries. Our Medical DX Promotion Working Group is also working on concrete initiatives, such as the digitalization of school electrocardiogram screenings, to achieve further progress.
The JSPCCS is supported by a diverse group of professionals, including pediatric cardiologists, cardiovascular surgeons, cardiologists, and obstetricians, as well as nurses, clinical engineers, and physical therapists. The operation of our society would not be possible without the cooperation of these wide-ranging experts. We will continue to expand our membership and strengthen our society as a whole, while actively incorporating diverse opinions from both young and experienced professionals, all while valuing transparency and open communication.
We are committed to working with all our members to achieve the society’s mission. I kindly ask for your continued understanding and support.
August 1,2025