I am Hiroyuki Murota, President of the Japanese Society for the Study of Itch. As a dermatologist, I have long been engaged in both clinical practice and research focusing on itch as a sensory experience. Although itch is a critical symptom that accompanies many dermatological and systemic diseases and profoundly affects patients’ quality of life, it has not always been sufficiently systematized as an independent field of study. With the establishment of this society, I strongly feel a responsibility to inherit the internationally and interdisciplinarily cultivated tradition of itch research and to advance it for future generations.

The predecessor of our society, the International Itch Symposium, was founded by Professor Kunihiko Yoshikawa (Professor Emeritus, Osaka University) and Professor Yasumasa Ishibashi (Professor Emeritus, The University of Tokyo). The first symposium was held in 1991, with Professor Yoshikawa serving as the representative organizer. Since then, the symposium has been held annually, inviting distinguished researchers from around the world and developing into a forum for learning the cutting edge of itch research.

The symposium has served as a valuable platform for bridging basic and clinical research, bringing together researchers and clinicians from diverse fields such as dermatology, neuroscience, and immunology in an interdisciplinary exchange of knowledge. While these symposia were supported through joint organization with pharmaceutical companies, changes over time led to limitations in this support structure.

At this important turning point, the organizers reached a consensus that the symposium should become an independent academic society. As the individual who had served as the secretariat of the International Itch Symposium, I assumed the role of the first President and led the establishment of the Japanese Society for the Study of Itch.

The Japanese Society for the Study of Itch aims to carry forward the philosophy and legacy of the International Itch Symposium and to serve as an international and interdisciplinary forum for academic exchange. Through collaboration with the International Forum for the Study of Itch (IFSI), we particularly aspire to play a central role in promoting discussion and dissemination of itch research in East Asia.

The logo of our society was designed with motifs representing the brain, the skin, neural transmission, and the hand movement associated with scratching, and our English name was designated as the Japanese Society for the Study of Itch (JASSI). I sincerely hope that this society will continue to grow and contribute to society through further elucidation of itch pathophysiology and the development of novel therapeutic strategies. I warmly invite researchers and clinicians to participate in our activities and to use this society as a place to deepen knowledge and exchange ideas.

Applications for membership in the Society are subject to approval by the Board of Directors.
An applicant shall be recognized as a member of the Society upon approval by the Board of Directors and confirmation of payment of the membership fee.
Members are required to maintain payment of the annual membership fee.
A member whose membership fee remains unpaid for a period of three consecutive years shall be regarded as having withdrawn from the Society.
Membership fees already paid shall not be refunded, regardless of the reason for withdrawal.

Domestic

• Japanese Society of Cutaneous Allergy and Immunology
• Japanese Association of Dermatology
• Japanese Society of Investigative Dermatology

Abroad

• International Study of Itch (IFSI)
• Taiwan Itch Research Group