President of the Focal Therapy Symposium 2026

Osamu Ukimura, M.D., Ph.D.

Professor and Chair, Department of Urology
Vice President, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

It is with great pleasure that we invite you to the 2026 International Symposium on Focal Therapy and Imaging in Prostate and Kidney Cancer to be held in Kyoto, Japan, on April 25 and 26, 2026.

The venue for the International Symposium on Focal Therapy and Imaging has been regularly rotated between the United States and Europe. For the first time, in 2019, the symposium was held in Kyoto, Japan (I was the president of the symposium) to bring exciting new developments to the region. This time, in 2026, it will again be hosted in Kyoto, Japan. In these seven years, between these two conferences held in Kyoto, there have been many advances and expansions in focal therapy, which have been practically developed worldwide, including Asia, especially in Japan. Investigator-initiated clinical trials of lesion-targeted focal cryoablation and advanced medicine of lesion-targeted focal microwave coagulation and HIFU for MRI-visible clinically significant prostate cancer have been conducted or are ongoing with the approval of the regulatory authority.

Curated by the Focal Therapy Society and Focal Therapy Japan, the international symposium will be an innovative and engaging event that delivers updates that delegates need within a condensed meeting. Importantly, the 113th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Urological Association (4-day event, April 23-26) will be held at the same time and place at the Kyoto International Conference Center (https://www.icckyoto.or.jp).

The two-day event incorporates real-time navigation imaging into established diagnostic and advanced treatment strategies for prostate and kidney cancers. Participating in this meeting gives you the opportunity to gain valuable insights through an interactive scientific program delivered by world-class faculty with state-of-the-art lectures, video demonstrations, and hands-on workshops. The relatively intimate meeting size allows everyone to network with faculty and expert focal therapists and exchange opinions and experiences.

In April 2026, be sure to plan a visit to the outstanding FT 2026 Symposium in Kyoto, one of Japan’s most exceptional historical cities, and enjoy the most impressive Japanese culture through food, sake, gardens, shrines, temples, and other entertainment.