Message from the President

My name is Tatsuya Nakama, and I am honored to be assigned as a President of the Tokyo Endovascular Challenging Conference (TECC) in 2026.

It has already been eight years since we founded TECC in 2018 together with Dr. Suzuki, our former President, Dr. Utsunomiya, and Dr. Iwata, our Auditor. Back in 2018, online education program (currently called as "Webinar") was still uncommon. The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically accelerated this transition, and online education has now become a routine part of our professional lives. Over these eight years, the way physicians and other healthcare provider obtain information and access educational opportunities has changed significantly.
The growth of online educational programs, including TECC, has helped to reduce traditional gaps in access to information—between younger and more experienced physicians, and between those working in regional and major urban centers. I believe this has also contributed to remarkable advances in knowledge and procedural techniques across many areas of endovascular medicine.

Today, the latest information presented at national and international conferences can be shared in real time and sometimes spread across Japan and around the world almost instantly through social media. Who could have imagined such a future back in 2018? Looking back, we are very pleased to see that the direction we envisioned at that time was the right one, and that the establishment of TECC has contributed, in its own way, to the development of our field.

Today, numerous Webinars are available, yet TECC continues to expand its presence and influence year after year. Even on weekday evenings, our programs sometimes attract more than 500 participants. We believe this reflects the strong interest and expectations that our audience has for TECC. Since the very beginning, we have placed great importance on online education while constantly asking ourselves: “What do our viewers really want to know?” and “What are the most important trends right now?” At our monthly board meetings, we often spend several hours discussing these questions, exploring new program ideas and new ways to share meaningful and timely information. This continuous effort has shaped TECC into what it is today.

And now, in 2026, TECC is entering a new chapter.
As mentioned at the beginning, I have succeeded Dr. Kenji Suzuki as President of TECC. We are also delighted to welcome Dr. Kazunori Horie and Dr. Naoki Hayakawa as new members of our Board.

TECC has always sought to pursue the best and to continue evolving without fear of change. I believe this transition is a natural and necessary step in that evolution. With the energy and expertise of our new Board members, I am confident that TECC will become even more engaging and continue to provide new value to our participants.

Looking ahead, we also plan to further develop TECC AP, our initiative for the Asia-Pacific region, in a new and evolving format. Bringing the strengths and experience that TECC has developed in Japan to the wider Asia-Pacific region—and eventually beyond—will be an important part of our future mission.

With our new leadership and Board, TECC will continue to embrace change and evolve together with all of you.

We sincerely appreciate your continued support and look forward to your ongoing participation in TECC.

Tatsuya Nakama

President
Tokyo Endovascular Challenging Conference (TECC)