Wataru Shimizu
(Department of Cardiovascular Medicine,
Nippon Medical School)

Takashi Kurita
(Electrophysiology Department of
Cardiovascular Center, Kindai University)

We are pleased to announce that the 68th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Heart Rhythm Society (JHRS) will be held at the PACIFICO Yokohama North venue for four days, from Wednesday, June 8th, to Saturday, June 11th, 2022.

The theme for this conference is "Arrhythmia and Electrocardiology in 2022’s – Toward New Innovation from JHRS2022 –".
During the late 1990s and over the past quarter century, major innovations have been made in the area of arrhythmia and electrocardiology. One such innovation is the emergence and widespread use of catheter ablation and device-aided therapies such as implantable cardioverter-defibrillators and cardiac resynchronization therapies. These non-pharmacological treatments have made it possible to achieve a complete cure for many arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation, and have significantly improved the prognosis for patients who have fatal arrhythmias and heart failure. Another innovation is the advances made in basic research that include the genetic diagnosis of arrhythmia diseases and regenerative medicine. In the future, these innovative technologies will encompass the introduction of AI, and hardware developments that will easily surpass what we can imagine today. There is also progress on the software side, with medical professionals taking part in multidisciplinary collaborations and in the implementation of comprehensive treatments. The goal of JHRS is the further development of concepts that benefit patients and society, and to generate innovations that focus on the precision medicine. These hopes inspire the theme of this conference! It is our great fortune that this conference can be hosted by two close colleagues (Wataru and Takashi) who have spent 35 years at the National Cardiovascular Center (currently the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center).

At the beginning of 2020, the new coronavirus infection started spreading; therefore, that year's conference was canceled to prevent the pandemic and the 2021 conference was held in a completely virtual format. We believe that holding the 2022 conference in person will be symbolic of the way our populations have overcome the devastation of COVID-19, and that many attendees will be able to come to Yokohama. We look forward to having face-to-face exchanges between domestic and foreign opinion leaders, young doctors who are aiming to specialize the field of electrophysiology, and seasoned medical professionals. We challenge to re-establish a chance where participants can enthusiastically discuss their long-standing ideas and novel developments at the intersection of arrhythmia and electrocardiography. We are moving ahead, while at the same time keeping the health and safety of participants as a top priority.

Last but not least, we expect for your great contribution and support so that this conference can be as successful and memorable as possible for all attendees.