It is a great honor for us in Osaka to host the 81st Annual Meeting of the Japanese Orthodontic Society in our city. I would like to thank Drs. Keiji Moriyama and Isao Saito, the former and current Presidents of the Japanese Orthodontic Society, as well as the Society members and others concerned for granting us this precious opportunity.

The 81st Annual Meeting will be held from Wednesday, October 5 through Friday, October 7, 2022, at the Osaka International Convention Center, in concurrence with the 9th Joint Symposium of the Japanese Orthodontic Society and the Korean Association of Orthodontists.

The main theme of the 81st Annual Meeting is “For safe orthodontic treatment with COVID-19 protocols.” It is our hope that the Meeting will serve as a meaningful forum where we can discuss our future pathways as we continue to offer, amid remarkable scientific and medical progress and technological innovations in clinical orthodontics, safe and secure orthodontic care based on accurate knowledge and the philosophy of our specialization.

I would like to emphasize that, as in the previous edition, the 81st Annual Meeting will be organized with maximum care and consideration in terms of coronavirus infection control, allowing all participants to attend the events with a sense of security and peace.

Regarding the program, Professor Satoshi Kutsuna of Osaka University will deliver a Special Lecture on the current situation of COVID-19, and Dr. Glenn T. Sameshima of the University of Southern California will deliver an Educational Lecture on the latest findings about root resorption in orthodontics. We will also have other equally attractive speakers working on the frontlines of their respective fields, who will talk about such subjects as orthodontic anchorage screws, lingual braces, regenerative dentistry, and orthodontic treatment and temporomandibular joint disorder. Preparations are being steadily made for the Lifelong Educational Seminar, the Staff & Doctor Seminar, Satellite Seminars, and other events.

Before closing this message, I would like to impress on you that Osaka has so much to offer to make your stay truly enjoyable, including landmarks representative of Japan, bustling dining and shopping areas, and numerous other sightseeing spots, as well as abundant sea and farm products that offer a wide range of pleasures for your palate. I hope you will have a pleasant time outside the Meeting venue as well. Hoping that the COVID-19 pandemic will subside soon and we will be able to see you all in person in Osaka!