Message from the Chairperson

It is my pleasure to announce that the 60th Japanese Occupational Therapy Congress & Expo will be held in Niigata City for three days from November 20 to 22, 2026.

It is truly delightful to hold the congress in November, the season of colorful autumn foliage．Niigata is well known for its scenic natural setting and abundant natural blessings, particularly its rice grown with mineral-rich water from melting snow. We have chosen images of autumn foliage and rice for the logo and posters for the 60th congress. Moreover, Niigata is a production center of a wide variety of sake, brewed from the local rice, and fresh seafood from the Sea of Japan. After the day session, I’m sure participants will enjoy special dinners of local specialties. Niigata is also known as one of the International Wetland Cities. Many swans migrate to Niigata from Siberia to pass the winter, and their number is believed to be the greatest of any other area in Japan. Accordingly, there is a good chance that you will see swans dancing gracefully on the lakes in Niigata at dawn and in the evening.

For the 60th congress, we have selected the following main and sub themes: “The challenge from Occupational therapy to understand brain mechanisms” and “Occupation fulfills all of you”. For years, I have been involved in therapies for patients with higher brain dysfunction acquired after suffering from a stroke or cerebrovascular disease. I have witnessed occupational therapy helping them lead fulfilling lives. Having a sense of fulfillment is another important element of occupational therapy, or what Mary Reilly called “occupation.” In addition to higher brain dysfunction, I hope to clarify the value of occupational therapy through studies of brain mechanisms. Although the main theme of the congress is “The challenge from Occupational therapy to understand brain mechanisms”, I hope discussions will cover various subjects, including those beyond the topic of brain mechanisms. During the sessions, I hope to hear, learn, talk, and discuss various cases where occupational therapy has brought a sense of fulfillment to patients, their families, occupational therapists, and community members, among others, in a wide variety of fields of occupational therapy.

The 60th congress will be the first congress to be held in Niigata Prefecture in the past 29 years. The previous event was the 31st congress, held in 1997 in Nagaoka City. I vividly remember taking part in that congress, which was organized by the devoted occupational therapists of Niigata Association of Occupational Therapists. At that time, the Japanese Association of Occupational Therapists had only 8,400 members. I also remember well that the seafood served there was truly delicious! Subsequently, the 54th congress was planned in Niigata for 2020. However, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the congress was held online. Accordingly, the coming congress will be a good opportunity to accomplish the plan for the 2020 congress.

Since the next congress will become the epochal, 60th event, we have asked the International Department to prepare international programs. Moreover, we are planning to hold keynote lectures and educational lectures on brain mechanisms, along with a number of symposiums.

I truly hope that we will be able to discuss “occupation” to our hearts’ content in Niigata, a scenic city of pure and clean air.

I look forward to seeting you at the congress.