To mark the second visit of a delegation of Japanese forensic pathologists, the NUM Platform for Autopsies and Pathology (NATON) at the Institute of Forensic Medicine at the University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) hosted the "German-Japanese Forensic Forum" on 17 March 2026.
Around 50 participants, including scientists from Wakayama Medical University and Nagasaki University School of Medicine, came together to discuss current developments in forensic medicine, pathology and neuropathology and to further intensify international cooperation.
The visit centred on sessions aimed at intensifying research collaboration between the Japanese partner institutions and NATON. The programme was complemented by a total of 15 specialist presentations by German and Japanese researchers. The topics ranged from innovative forensic practices to current research approaches in the field of (post-)infectious diseases.
A special highlight was the concluding hands-on session on post-mortem, robot-assisted tissue biopsies in a virtual reality environment. Participants had the opportunity to try out the technology for themselves and gain insights into future applications.