Yoshihiro Kawaoka, D.V.M., Ph. D.

Chair, World Flu Day 2024 Symposium / 9th Japan-China Bilateral Symposium on All Influenza Viruses

Professor, The University of Tokyo Pandemic Preparedness,
Infection and Advanced Research Center

The global impact and significance of influenza are profound, from the 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic to recent avian and seasonal influenza outbreaks. The ongoing need for international collaboration to control and mitigate the effects of influenza remains crucial.

The China-Japan Bilateral Symposium on All Influenza Viruses, established in 2004, has evolved from focusing on avian influenza to encompassing all influenza viruses. Past symposia have been notable for the exchange of scientific ideas, and the establishment of collaborative research efforts and joint laboratories.

World Flu Day, launched on November 1, 2018, at the Asian-Pacific Centenary Spanish 1918-flu symposium in Shenzhen, China, aims to raise public awareness, accelerate scientific research, advocate for a universal influenza vaccine, and strengthen global political efforts for influenza prevention and control.

We warmly welcome participants to the seventh World Flu Day and nineth China-Japan Bilateral Symposium on All Influenza Viruses. We anticipate discussions on the genesis, evolution, and prevalence of influenza viruses, as well as on advances in diagnosis, treatment, and vaccination.

The symposium aims to foster ideas and fruitful collaborations between scientists from China, Japan, and beyond. The broader impact of these discussions will lead to recommendations for influenza control globally, particularly within the Asian-Pacific region.

Acknowledging the important lessons learned from past influenza outbreaks in guiding current and future pandemic preparedness efforts, we encourage continued global collaboration and knowledge exchange to address the challenges posed by influenza and emerging infectious diseases.

We are honored to host this important event and confident that the insights and collaborations that result from this symposium will contribute substantially to the global fight against influenza.