The Japanese Association for Gender-Specific Medicine

I am Prof. Miyuki Katai, M.D., Ph.D. of the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), and I am pleased to announce that I have been nominated by the members of the association as the fourth president of the Japanese Association for Gender-Specific Medicine (JGM) to succeed Prof. Masahiro Akishita (The University of Tokyo). Prof. Akishita will continue to support me as Vice President. I will work hand in hand with the officers and members of the association for the dissemination of Gender Medicine and for the further development of our Association JGM. We are grateful for your support and look forward to your continued cooperation.

Gender Medicine considers "sex and gender differences" and "life stage (age)" in all diseases, including those common to both men and women. Recent advances in Gender Medicine have shown that symptoms, disease triggers and progression, and optimal treatment and preventive measures may differ by sex, gender and age, even for the same disease. Therefore, it can be said that Gender Medicine aims to provide high-quality medical care (personalized medicine) that is appropriate for each individual, taking into account biological and social differences and life stage (age).

Our association, JGM, is an academic organization where medical professionals, researchers, administrators, lawyers, journalists and other professionals from different fields and professions interested in Gender Medicine meet and study to share knowledge and research results with each other. The JGM is a member of the International Society for Gender Medicine (IGM).

The history of JGM¹ dates back to 2002, when its predecessor “The Association for Gender-Specific Medicine in Japan” was founded with Dr. Keiko Amano (Cardiology) as its representative. In 2008, it became "The Japanese Association for Gender-Specific Medicine" with Prof. Chuwa Tei (Cardiology) as the first president. Prof. Hiroaki Shimokawa (Cardiology) as the second president has been energetically leading our association for 10 years since 2012, holding the IGM in Japan (Sendai), publishing the relay essays of association members on the JGM's website, crowdfunding to start the certification system for Gender Medicine, etc. Prof. Masahiro Akishita (Geriatrics) became the third president in 2022 and continued the activities of JGM. He has steadily laid the foundation for the further development of our association, including the implementation of the certification system for Gender Medicine, the relocation of the secretariat, and the long-awaited publication of the association's online journal, "Journal of Gender Medicine"².

Let me briefly introduce my involvement in Gender Medicine³. I have been involved in Gender Medicine with specialization in Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Women's Medicine, teaching Gender Medicine at Shinshu University School of Medicine from 2003 to present, and clinical work on Gender Medicine at Tokyo Women's Medical University from 2007 to 19. I conducted the research and development of WaiSE, a gender innovation application for Gender Medicine^4,5 which was adopted by the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) in 2019-21 and applied for a patent. WaiSE was selected by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) for the FemTech Demonstration Project in FY2023, and a social demonstration was conducted in Japan⁶. We aim to put WaiSE into practical use in the near future. I am aware that I have been nominated for the position of President of JGM because of the recent increase in social interest in Gendered Innovations and Gender Medicine, as well as the emergence of female leaders in various fields also in Japan. I hope that our association JGM as a whole will ride this rising tide of interest and development and cherish the precious opportunity I have been given.

Our association is the only place in Japan where you can learn the latest expertise in a variety of fields from a gender perspective. In addition to Gender Medicine, we have recently covered a variety of topics such as Gendered Innovations (FemTech, MenTech, etc.), Gender Statistics, Gender Aspects of Sociology or Economics, LGBTQ, and more. We hope that not only medical professionals, researchers, government officials and others, but also companies involved in Gender Innovations will join our association and the annual congress.

Another hallmark of our association is our progressive approach to diversity and inclusion. The composition of the Association's Board of Directors and the ratio of men to women who have served as the Chair of Annual Congress have achieved the most ideal golden ratio among all medical societies in Japan. Taking advantage of these characteristics of our association, I am still in the planning stage, but I hope to also work on a plan for a "Career Development Seminar Based on Evidence⁷ " for those who wish to attend, both inside and outside the association. About 15 years ago, when I attended a similar leadership seminar held by a gender medicine society overseas, women in leadership positions were still rare in Japan. I am very happy to see that Japanese society is finally moving toward diversity and inclusion.

By learning about Gender Medicine and gaining a "gender perspective," we can open up new perspectives and experience the surprise, joy, and intellectual curiosity of seeing new aspects of the world. Let us share these perspectives and insights with many people. Therefore, let us work together for "the realization of medical care that is appropriate for each individual, taking into account biological and gender differences and life stages" and "a future that is kind to everyone, guided by Gendered Innovations!

February 2024
President, The Japanese Association for Gender-Specific Medicine
Director and Professor, Health Services Center, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies
Miyuki Katai, M.D., Ph. D.

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