Conferences & Events
Welcome to APHS 2026 in Osaka
In 2026, APHS will be held in Japan for the first time in ten years, with Osaka City as the host. The previous APHS in Japan took place in Tokyo in 2016. Over the past decade, there have been notable advancements in hernia care, including the increased use of laparoscopic surgery and the introduction of robot-assisted surgery. Additionally, new anatomical findings and concepts in surgical procedures have been reported.
APHS 2026 will review the progress made over this period and provide a forum for discussions on the future of hernia care.
APHS Hernia Essentials and JHS Annual Congress will be held at the same time.
Osaka is the second-largest economic center in Japan, situated in the western region near Kyoto, with a population of approximately 2.7 million. Historically, Osaka has flourished as a merchants’ city and is widely recognized as the culinary capital of the nation.
The city is renowned for its extensive urban canals and bridges, earning it the nickname “City of Water.” The Grand Cube Osaka, the selected venue, is conveniently located in Nakanoshima, a waterfront area at the heart of the city surrounded by numerous art museums and cultural institutions.
Osaka functions as a key transportation hub within Japan. It offers excellent connectivity: trains travel from Osaka to Kyoto in about 30 minutes, and the Shinkansen (bullet train) connects Osaka to Tokyo in approximately two hours and thirty minutes. Kansai International Airport (KIX) serves as the gateway to Osaka, with a comfortable express train providing access to the city center in roughly one hour.
Osaka possesses a distinctive culture shaped by its history as a center of commerce. Residents take pride in their heritage and exhibit characteristics reflective of the city’s unique cultural development.
Owing to its accessibility and hospitality, Osaka has welcomed many international guests in recent years. We are confident that Osaka is an ideal location to host APHS members.
EHS is scheduled to take place in Porto, Portugal in 2026. The introduction of Portuguese firearms to Japan in 1543 initiated various influences from Portugal on Japan. With reference to the historical meeting of the Portuguese and Japanese over 500 years ago, collaboration between EHS in Porto and APHS in Osaka is being considered. Planning for this potential interaction is currently in progress.
November is in the season of autumn leaves and considered an optimal time for travel to Japan and Osaka as well as spring when cherry blossoms bloom.
See you in Osaka in November 2026.
APHS 2026 in Osaka
Takehiro Hachisuka, MD: President
Takeyuki Misawa, MD: Chief Organizing chairperson
Nozomi Ueno, MD: Local Organizing chairperson
APHS GUIDELINES FOR CONGRESSES
CRITERIA FOR THE INVITATION TO HOST A FUTURE CONGRESS
- Invitations to host the Annual Congress of APHS can only be made by the National Representative of the National Chapter. The assurance of strong support by the National Chapter and authorities of the host country will be essential.
- The proposal to host the Annual APHS Congress must be presented at least three years before the event.
- The Executive Committee (EC) of APHS will evaluate the proposal according to the following criteria.
- Adequate Meeting facilities
- Explanation of primary budget items, such as for the infrastructure (meeting room), technical equipment, social events, transportation, labor for various work etc. the availability of financial support or sponsoring by the local authorities is an important contributing factor.
- Agreement about the attainable profit for APHS that fees should assure a profit of 20% in favor of APHS after reimbursement of all congress related items and not less than 10,000 USD
- Easy Access from Overseas. Availability of Intercontinental flights and low restriction in visa requirements will be a decisive factor
- The safety in the host city, country is important and must be evaluated according to international standards. The host city also has adequate hotel rooms in various categories and public transportation.
- The activities of the APHS National Chapter are considered as being a very important criterion.
- Support from the local medical association.
- After receipt of applications with the completed list of criteria and a preliminary budget, the various invitations will be compared. If necessary, the Executive Committee or a Delegation of its can conduct a detailed site inspection
- The APHS General Assembly will receives the recommendations of selected invitations which are approved by the Executive Committee. The votes by the members present at the APHS
- General Assembly are only to provide guidance to the Executive Committee that will take the final decision. Based on the recommendations the Executive Committee shall continue to work out a binding contract between all involved parties which also includes the Professional Congress Organizer.
- The final decision by the Executive Committee will be given to the Membership at least two years before the planned congress year.
- Once approved, the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) should work closely with the Executive Committee for the logistic of the Congress;
- The Scientific Program of the Congress is jointly arranged by an International Panel made by representative of the Local Scientific Committee APHS representative elected by the Executive Committee (at least 3 members). The Official APHS Prize: Bassini, Stoppa Cooper are choosen by the international scientific committee and the LOC is responsible of the award expenses decided by the EC
- The Local Organizing Committee is responsible for the local expenses of the Administrative Secretariat (up to 2 members).
- The Local Organizing Committee is responsible for the travel expenses (air-ticket, hotel and registration) of the members of the Executive Committee and at least for the President, Past President, President Elect, Secretary General and Treasurer.
APHS PAST CONFERENCES
19th APHS (2024)
Singapore
18th APHS (2023)
Penang, Malaysia
17th APHS (2022)
Vietnam
16th APHS (2021)
APHS 2020 Virtual Conference, 20th – 21st November (From China)
15th APHS (2019)
3rd – 5th October
Bali, Indonesia
14th APHS (2018)
28th Nov – 1st December
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
13th APHS (2017)
21-23 September
Kaohsiung, Taiwan
12th APHS (2016)
11th APHS (2015)
Myanmar
10th APHS (2014)
Rajasthan, India
9th APHS (2013)
Hong Kong
8th APHS (2012)
Philippines
7th APHS (2011)
Thailand
6th APHS (2010)
Seoul
5th APHS (2009)
Bali, Indonesia
4th APHS (2008)
China
3rd APHS (2007)
Singapore
2nd APHS (2006)
New Delhi, India
1st APHS (2005)
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia



