[Past and present of JSCP international exchange]

The Japan Society of Clinical Pathology was established in 1951 among laboratory physicians working in central clinical laboratories who discussed at the first several years on what clinical pathology and clinical pathologists mean. Many foreign guest lecturers were invited for its annual congresses. In 1962 returned from USA the three Japanese physicians who were certified in both anatomic and clinical pathology by the American Board of Pathology. Then, they also reported on various aspects in relation to clinical pathology, mainly in USA. The First International Symposium on Quality Control-Tokyo was held in 1974, inviting several laboratory scientists in Asia. In 1975, the Japanese-Korean Joint Conference in Clinical Pathology started, and in 1990 it was reorganized to the Asian Conference of Clinical Pathology, currently consisting of 4 national clinical pathology societies; Japan, Korea, China-Taipei and Indonesia. The official exchange program between the China-Beijing and JSCP started in 1992. JSCP joined to WASP (World Association of Societies of Pathology, Anatomic and Clinical) in 1957, and since then many members have been participating to various activities of the WASP. Dr. Tadashi Kawai, the Past President of JSCP, served the WASP President from 1991-1993. The permanent WASP Administrative Office was opened in Tokyo since 1992. The JSCP is expected to participate and contribute further for various WASP activities in future.