JSWH made a new start as a society under a new system in December 2000. It is 37 years since the society was first set up as a workshop. Some new regulations of the society were enacted and the system of administration was handed over to trustees. At present, there are 9 directors, 75 trustees, and 8 committees to facilitate smooth administration of the society. I would like to improve the administration of the society to aid in its development, bending my ears to our members' opinions.

Concerning our international activities, I hope we can publish our research on wound healing all over the world as an enthusiastic and international society and promote greater cooperation with the Wound Healing Society (WHS) of the USA, the Tissue Repair Society (ETRS) of Europe, the Australian Wound Management Association (AWMA).,Asian Wound Healing Association and Korean Wound Management. We have been publishing the journal, 'Wound Repair and Regeneration', in cooperation with these societies, and volume 15 has been published this year. The score, IF 2.230 (year 2006), is now among the top-stream medical journals in fields such as surgery, plastic surgery, dermatology, pathology, and subjects related to digestion. I expect there are more contributions to WRR from our members in the future and it would be great if the teaching faculty can guide young doctors to contribute their papers presented at JSWH conferences to WRR. To support their contributions, our society aims for greater cooperation with the WRR Editorial Committee in the USA. Concerning 'Newsletter' that is specially published in Japanese in each WRR journal, I hope that the Press Committee can make its content more solid, and Newsletter can serve as a means of communication among our members.

We had discussed the participation of co-medicals at the center of the Rule Committee for a few years, and have finally, at the General Body Meeting made an associate membership for co-medical 4 years ago, because we realized that the participation of co-medicals is very important for us to broaden our society's horizons. I hope that co-medicals who are practically concerned with the administration of wound healing in clinical practice would enthusiastically become involved in our society.

Concerning our finances, since the membership fees cover almost all of our income, we request you to pay this year's fees as soon as possible. When the fees have not been paid for more than 2 years, we, as a rule, stop sending WRR to you. While it normally costs more than 30,000 Japanese Yen for each annual individual subscription from Japan, our society offers our members a special price including the membership fees. Every year, the Financial Committee is entrusted with the work of balancing the budget, and it is an important concern of our society to maintain a large membership for the smooth administration of the society. As a result, the Trustee's Screening Committee decided on a policy to increase the number of trustee in this few years. I hope more people who can lead JSWH in the future will join in our society.

I wish all those of you, who are engaged in the clinical and research aspects of wound healing, happiness and success in the future.