[The Latest Findings in Liver Diseases -Chairman's Introductory Remarks.]

Symposium 15 entitled: "the latest findings in liver diseases", was held at the 62nd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Laboratory Medicine last year in Gifu. It is well-known that there have been marked changes in clinical practice for liver diseases, such as the development of directly acting antivirals for hepati- tis C virus, elucidation of the reactivation of hepatitis B virus, and the increase in the number of patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Three speakers, Professor Junko Tanaka from Hiroshima University, Professor Yasuhito Tanaka from Nagoya City University, and Assistant Director Toshihide Shima from Saiseikai Suita Hospital, were invited to give a lecture regarding the epidemiological aspects of viral hepatitis, the reactivation of hepatitis B virus, and the current status and monitoring of non-B non-C liver diseases, respectively. This manuscript briefly summarizes the background of this symposium.