The Semiclosed Membership System of the German-Japanese Confederation of Urology

In June 1986, 21 years ago, we together founded the German-Japanese Confederation of Urology and the1^st meeting was held in Mainz. 

A couple of years before, we had discussed about the membership system of our confederation and after all reached the conclusion, that we better had the semiclosed membership system for a while with rough rules, and without any strict ­bylaws. 

The main aims of our confederation are: 

To exchange the modern and innovate urology, to discuss them enough in an open and friendly atmosphere and to learn new ideas and important knowledges from each other. To make the tight and warm mutual friendship, together with their families.

The rough rules for the semiclosed membership system of the confederation and of its scientific meeting are as follows:

The members consist of German-speaking urologists and Japanese urologists. The members should be suitable for these 2 main aims, and distinguished, friendly and cooperative authorities, including some excellent young urologists in order to continue the existence and organization of the confedera­tion in future. The scientific meeting of the confederation is held in Europe and in Japan, by turns and every 3 years. The official language in the scientific meeting is English. The president and secretary are nominated every 3 years by post-presidents and secretaries. The members are requested to attend the meeting better with accompanied person. The number of participants in the scientific meeting from guest-country might be limited in about 40–50 (not too many), including their accompanied persons. The limitation of the number is necessary for the sake of hospitality by host-president and host-secretary. The participants in the scientific meeting are each time with recommendation of other members or with self-application, but the final selection of the participations are made by the president-elect, post-presidents and secretaries of each side.

Until now, every former meetings have obtained very good results by the elite participants from both sides in exchanging urological knowledge and in making warm and hearty friendship. 

We are hoping, this every 3 years scientific meet­ing of the German-Japanese Confederation of Urology will be held continuously in future too and every time with success.