Kamo Chomei said at the beginning of his book "Hojoki" that "the flowing river goes on and on, and yet it is not the water of the book. Nursing science is also a discipline and practice that moves forward, asking questions and reexamining itself in the midst of the ever-changing swell of the times. At the bottom of the seemingly quiet current, small changes accumulate and continue to evolve through unwavering will to explore, dialogue, and reflection.

　In the past few years, we have learned a great deal by grappling with fundamental questions such as "What is scientific integrity? The criterion of the scientific status of a theory is its falsifiability, refutability, or testability. In other words, every claim must be open to verification and questioning in order to be valid as science. It will be necessary to enhance the function of such an academic society as a "forum. This also means that as an academic organization, we must engage in a rich and active dialogue with society.

　In actual science, however, theories are not immediately dismissed simply because they are disproven. Scientists often examine the validity of measurement errors and assumptions, and attempt to reassemble the structure of knowledge with greater precision. Science is a process of creative dialogue that goes beyond the rejection of hypotheses to generate new questions and continue to build knowledge. In nursing science in particular, many of the questions are deeply rooted in human activities and values, and there are aspects that cannot be captured by simple disproof. Therefore, for the development of nursing science, it is necessary to foster a multidisciplinary approach that ensures both rigorous verifiability and flexible contextual understanding.

　Therefore, we hope that the conference will be a place for open discussion where diverse perspectives and knowledge can meet, question each other, and deepen while supporting each other. Through this, I believe that this conference can become a "circuit of trust" between practice and research, between society and academia.

　As I take up the position of President of the Japan Academy of Nursing Science (JANS) and face the weight of responsibility for the next two years, I have decided to place importance on "walking with integrity and listening carefully to the voices of others". I will be faithful to my own values, listen carefully to the voices of others, and match my words with my actions. We hope to deliver to society a larger flow of knowledge.

　Please continue to give us your honest opinions and warm support.

June 23, 2025
President, Japan Academy of Nursing Science
Ikuko Sakai

Source:

• https://www.aozora.gr.jp/cards/000196/files/975_15935.html Kamo Chōmei (1212), Hōjoki
• Karl Popper (1963) *Conjectures and Refutations: The Growth of Scientific Knowledge.* Routledge. http://www.rosenfels.org/Popper.pdf p.37