On behalf of the Editorial Team of the Journal of Echocardiography, the official journal of the Japanese Society of Echocardiography, I would like to introduce to you our new editorial policy. Considering the high scientific level of cardiovascular ultrasonography research in Japan, the Journal of Echocardiography should represent not only Japan but also other countries in Asia. This would make the position of the Journal in this region equivalent to that of the Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography, published by the American Society of Echocardiography, and the European Heart Journal–Cardiovascular Imaging, published by the European Society of Cardiology. The Editorial Team will make every effort to improve the scientific level of the Journal of Echocardiography to a satisfactory level as compared with that of the Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography and European Heart Journal–Cardiovascular Imaging.

Original investigations

Thanks to the outstanding efforts of the former Editorial Team led by the immediate past Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Yutaka Otsuji, the Journal of Echocardiography was accepted to be indexed in MEDLINE and PubMed in 2015. We have a new challenge to further increase the impact factor of our journal. I will welcome submissions of original investigations from all physicians, sonographers, researchers, and others who work in the field of echocardiography to maintain and further improve the scientific level of the Journal.

Review article series

We have started a review series by internationally established and future researchers in Japan and around the world in order to provide current knowledge on echocardiography to readers of the Journal. I appreciate their valuable contribution to the Journal.

Case image in cardiovascular ultrasound

We have also changed the style of case reports as Case Image in Cardiovascular Ultrasound instead of the former Case Report and Images in Cardiovascular Ultrasound. Images are key requirements for clinical, research, and educational purposes in the field of echocardiography. I encourage authors to submit images with high quality and scientific impact.

The Editorial Team greatly appreciates your continued support and contributions to the Journal of Echocardiography in our endeavor to enhance the scientific level of the Journal for the benefit of patients.

Kazuaki Tanabe

Editor-in-Chief

Journal of Echocardiography