Multidisciplinary Trends in Endoscopic Surgery in Japan: Insights From the 17th Nationwide Survey

The Japan Society for Endoscopic Surgery (JSES) conducts a nationwide survey every 2 years to evaluate the status and trends of endoscopic surgery in Japan. This article reports the results of the 17th Nationwide Survey conducted by the JSES in 2022 and 2023. A questionnaire assessing the current status of endoscopic surgery was distributed to institutions nationwide. Since 1990, a total of 4 286 446 endoscopic procedures have been performed in Japan, with a continuous increase in most surgical fields. Although the number of procedures temporarily declined during the COVID-19 pandemic, endoscopic surgical activity steadily recovered and increased across all disciplines. Furthermore, the use of robot-assisted surgery has expanded rapidly in multiple specialties, reflecting broader clinical adoption and technological progress. These nationwide data demonstrate that endoscopic surgery is widely and safely performed across all surgical specialties in Japan. The findings of this multidisciplinary survey provide valuable insights into current practice patterns and will contribute to further development, standardization, and safe dissemination of endoscopic surgery.