The Japan Sports Nutrition Association (JSNA) is an academic organization that was established in 2013. It was originally founded as the Japan Sports Nutrition Research Group in 2004 and became a nonprofit organization in 2007 [1]. To date, the JSNA has 2,119 active members, comprising a range of professions, including dietitians, nutritionists, academics, and students. The JSNA aims to contribute promotion of health of people and also contribute to the development of sports in Japan [1]. To achieve these aims, the JSNA provides scientific and evidence-based information related to Sports Nutrition to the general public and promotes research activities and networking among researchers in the field of Sports Nutrition [1]. In addition, to contribute to the development of sports culture and improve athletes’ performance, the JSNA delivers training and provides learning opportunities to raise experts in Sports Nutrition [1]. One of the key training programs provided by the JSNA is a training course for the Japan Sports Association (JSPO) Sports Dietitians. It is a joint accreditation program with the Japan Dietetic Association (JDA) and JSPO that aims to raise sports nutrition experts who can provide adequate support to athletes by coordinating with other supporting staff, including coaches, trainers, and experts from other disciplines [2]. The JSNA has been commissioned to implement the accreditation programs of JDA and JSPO since June 2008 [3]. As of October 2023, the JSNA has trained 522 JSPO Sports Dietitians [4].

The JSNA has maintained about a decade of relationship with members of the Korean Society for Exercise Nutrition (KSEN). In 2014, the JSNA organized an international session at its first annual scientific meeting held in Tokyo and invited Dr. Nanna Meyer from the US, Dr. Zeyi Yang from China, and Dr. Hyon Park, and Dr. Sungsook Cho from the Republic of Korea. Collaborative activity continued, and the JSNA organized a Japan-Korea international symposium at its third annual scientific meeting held in 2016. For this symposium, the JSNA invited Dr. Jonghoon Park and Dr. Kiwon Lim from the KSEN. The following year, Dr. Kazuko Ishikawa-Takata, President of the JSNA at the time, was invited to an annual conference of the KSEN and delivered a presentation.

After the abovementioned academic exchanges, the Presidents of the JSNA and the KSEN agreed to exchange Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the societies. The President of the JSNA and a council member responsible for international exchange visited Konkuk University in Seoul and signed the MoU on 25th February, 2018 [5]. The JSNA and the KSEN actively communicated and organized academic exchange events for the first couple of years. However, due to the first report of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in 2019, and the occurrence of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the following years, the JSNA had to halt a vast majority of international academic exchanges and other collaborative activities with overseas organizations, including those with the KSEN, until the situation improved. While collaborative activities slowed down, the JSNA and the KSEN decided to revise the MoU to allow it to be more practical for members of both societies so that it could be implemented immediately after academic cooperation resumed. The revision process was implemented in 2022, and an agreement on the revised MoU was reached in May 2023.

The revised MoU stated that the JSNA and the KSEN would cooperate in a number of activities, including:

1) Allowing members to attend each other’s annual conferences at the ordinary member price;

2) Inviting members as guest speakers to the annual conference, if necessary;

3) Exchanging materials and information with each other.

It is important for members of each society to fully understand the content of the revised MoU so that activities between the societies can be optimized.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting travel restrictions, the JSNA and the KSEN conducted academic exchanges based on the MoU agreement in 2018. In 2018, two members from each society attended a scientific conference hosted by the opposing society. Ms. Hiroka Ohno and Mr. Sihyung Lee attended the KSEN conference held in May and presented their work (Figure 1A), whereas Dr. Shin Chul Ho and Dr. Lee Min Chul from the KSEN visited the fifth annual scientific meeting of the JSNA held in July and delivered guest lectures [5]. Exchange activities continued the following year, with Dr. Yosuke Nagashima and Ms. Saki Kondo attended the KSEN scientific meeting held in May 2019 (Figure 1B) [6].

The COVID-19 pandemic, which lasted nearly four years, and policies, such as lockdowns, travel restrictions, and mandatory vaccination, impacted frequent and active international academic cooperation. Fortunately, the Japanese government lifted the state of emergency by October 2021 and eased immigration restrictions for overseas travelers from October 2022. Furthermore, the Japanese government downgraded COVID-19 from “Pandemic Influenza (Novel Influenza or Re-emerging Influenza),” equivalent to Category II infectious diseases, to Category V infectious disease in May 2023. These changes have made various COVID-19 prevention strategies no longer mandatory.

With the easing of infection prevention strategies, it is hoped that academic cooperation between the JSNA and the KSEN will resume based on the revised MoU agreed upon by both parties in 2023. To ensure long-lasting mutual academic cooperation, it is recommended to start with activities that are feasible without excessive burden to either society, such as sharing information on annual scientific conferences and recent news from each society.

The International Exchange Committee of the JSNA hopes that these activities will help members of both societies recognize the MoU’s role in fostering mutual cooperation. The Committee also hopes that these activities will increase the number of members actively involved in future academic exchanges, including those willing to attend another society’s scientific meetings or present as guest speakers, thereby contributing to enduring friendship and scientific collaboration between both countries (Figure 2).