To mark the second visit by a delegation of Japanese forensic pathologists, NATON hosted the "German-Japanese Forensic Forum" at the Institute of Forensic Medicine, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) on 17 March 2026.
Around 50 participants, including researchers from Wakayama Medical University and the Nagasaki University School of Medicine, came together to discuss current developments in legal medicine, pathology and neuropathology, and to further strengthen international collaboration.
The visit centred on sessions aimed at intensifying research collaboration between the Japanese partner institutions and NATON. The program was complemented by a total of 15 expert presentations by German and Japanese researchers. The topics ranged from innovative forensic medical practices to current research approaches in the field of (post-)infectious diseases.
A particular 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.
The NATON German-Japanese Forensic Forum was accredited by the Hamburg Medical Association with five continuing professional development credits.