The 36th Annual Meeting of the Japan Epidemiological Association and the 3rd Joint Western Pacific Regional Meeting of the International Association for Epidemiology were held at Dejima Messe Nagasaki in January 2026. Approximately 1,500 people participated, including about 160 from overseas, making it a truly international academic conference.
　 Dejima Messe Nagasaki is directly connected to JR Nagasaki Station, and there are many accommodations in the surrounding area, so many participants commented that "it was very convenient to get around and easy to attend."
Furthermore, the venue was compact yet functional and clean, providing an environment that was easy to manage for an academic conference. Professors from other universities who participated commented, "I'm envious that you have such a convention facility nearby," highlighting the venue's convenience and pleasant atmosphere.

　This conference leveraged its unique characteristic of being co-hosted with the International Association for Epidemiology's Western Pacific Region to provide a platform for international academic exchange with English as the primary language. Through pre-seminars, international symposia, and travel grant support for young researchers, we also worked to foster the next generation of researchers and build international networks. Furthermore, coinciding with the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings, we were able to implement meaningful projects unique to the host city, such as a special symposium that took into account Nagasaki's historical background.

　Nagasaki is an attractive city with a compact concentration of transportation access, conference facilities, accommodations, and tourist attractions, and I felt it has great potential as a venue for international conferences. I would definitely recommend Nagasaki to organizers who are considering holding academic conferences or international conferences in the future.