Search for the advancement of the International Journal of Clinical Oncology (IJCO)

after publication that there were evident errors and inappropriate judgment. Cases that are not within the scope of scientific investigation or papers that are lacking in objective reasoning may not have been detected through further checks or peer reviews. Such papers must have been the products of distortion or fabrication. Given this context, for IJCO to be a better journal, we need to encourage original research that is reproducible. Even if a research paper has an impact, we must not shower excessive praise on non-continuous research such as degree theses. We should not be influenced by current trends but uphold continuity and have a clear sense of direction. We must continue publishing papers that are firmly grounded in lasting research principles. My greatest desire is to see the research that is “only one” yet long-lasting. Renowned international journals carry papers on innovative research conducted by numerous groups. IJCO’s mission is to focus on treatments of cancer including chemotherapy et al. The research involves many subjects, necessitating accurate statistical analysis. This means that in world-class journals, the analyses of the effects of medicines are now requiring randomized prospective study rather than retrospective study. IJCO must follow suit. Another point I wish to make is that the senior author who is the key figure in writing the paper must constantly endeavor hard, invest trust in group members and give timely and appropriate guidance. The direction of the research project must be clearly defined. Members of the group must respect the originality of other members. Support from the first class leading researchers with respect to the subject must be obtained. As I grow older, I realize the importance of delegating to others the mundane affairs of life, if you want to stay at the cutting edge of research. Meanwhile, your must never forgo the love of your own lifework, and you must continue to have the reverberation Two decades ago the first International Journal of Clinical Oncology (IJCO) was published. Thanks to our members’ efforts, the journal has since gone from strength to strength, with papers now being submitted from outside Japan. I am delighted to see such positive progress. We were diffident at first as to how to proceed. From among the many recommendations for publishers we had received, I had to deliberate carefully as the chairman of the editorial committee. I met the manager for discussions and decided to choose Springer. Our priority was to assert the uniqueness of the Japan Society of Clinical Oncology (JSCO), clearly differentiating our society from Japan Cancer Society. We needed to emphasize the journal’s specialization in clinical practice. Each field of research has its own attraction. To my mind, basic research and clinical research are fundamentally different. Basic research is motivated by the investigation of the phenomena of life sciences, and is thus closer to the laws of nature. Clinical research is motivated by the desire to improve therapeutic outcomes by applying the knowledge that the basic scientists have discovered. This motivation should determine the choice for the subject of research. The major task for IJCO now is to raise its quality even higher so that our presence becomes fully established in the world. Authors of papers obviously want their research published in a journal with a bigger impact factor. Therefore, we must make our journal more attractive. I would like to outline below my ideas on how to achieve this. Evaluating papers is an exceedingly difficult task. The editors have to excel in knowledge and experience. However regrettable it is, we do find instances of discovery