World Federation of Right to Die Societies International Conference 2026

A more detailed program for the The World Federation of Right to Die Societies International Conference 2026 is now available.

Thursday, November 26, 2026 

WFRtDS General Assembly Meeting 8:30-11:15

Opening Ceremony 11:30-11:50

Keynote Lecture 11:50-12:30

• Chair: Masahiro Nomoto, Vice-president of JSDD 50 Years of Expansion – History of the WFRtDS”
• Rob Jonquiere, Former Executive Director of WFRtDS "Personal Account of Sean Davison – Arrested for Ending the Suffering of People in 3 Continents"
• Sean Davison, Former president of WFRtDS

Special Lecture 14:00-15:00

• Chair: Kiyoko Kamibeppu, Vice-president of JSDD
• Takeshi Yoro, Anatomist

Symposium 1 15:15-17:30

• "End-of-Life Care Legislations in East Asia"
• Chair: Yoshihiro Kitamura, President of JSDD
• “End-of-Life Care and Self-Determination in Korea: Palliative Care, Withdrawal of Life-Sustaining Treatment, and the Prospect of Assisted Dying” Da Hye Choi, President of Korea Association of Right to Die 
• “Issues and Implications from the Korean Constitutional Complaint” Jae Ryon Kim, On·Sesang Law Firm 
• “The Legislative Process, Current Status, and Challenges of the Patient Right to
• Autonomy Act in Taiwan” Daniel Fu-Chang Tsai, National Taiwan University 
• “VSED and the Patient Right to Autonomy Act in Taiwan: End-of-Life Autonomy
• and the Debate over the Legalization of Euthanasia” Yicheng Chung, Kumamoto University

Session 1 15:15-17:10

• "Beyond Individual Choice: Historical, Philosophical, and Relational Foundations of Autonomy in the Right to Die"
• Chair: Kiyoshi Kitamura, Trustee of JSDD
• “Bringing Death to Life: The Importance of Teaching Death Literacy” Niels De NUTTE
• “Preparing future nurses and allied health professionals for addressing medical assistance in dying: the EUroMAiD project” Dennis Demedts
• “Whānau and assisted dying: A qualitative study of family experiences in Aotearoa New Zealand” Pelayo Manu
• “Reconsidering Self-Determination in Life and Death: The Philosophy of Holism and the Artistic Practice of Immunologist Tada Tomio” Yoko Kawakami
• “Critiques of “Anti-Life-Prolongation” Surrounding Living Wills from a Patient Perspective: Implications for Advance Care Planning in Japan” Mutsumi Saito
• “Bringing Death to Life: The Importance of Teaching Death Literacy” Anna Cohen Kirah, Galina Arbeli

Friday, November 27, 2026

Session 2 9:30-12:20

• "Social and Relational Dimensions of End-of-Life Care in Japan: Realities, Narratives, and the Role of Social Systems"
• Chair: Kiyoko Kamibeppu, Vice-president of JSDD
• Sumito Ogawa, Board member of JSDD
• “Age- and Setting-Related Differences in End-of-Life Care, Living Wills, and Signs of Death: A Questionnaire Survey of Physicians With Expertise in End-of-Life Care” Mitsutaka Yakabe
• “Making MAID Legalization Work: The Conditions of Autonomy in Japanese Society” Kazuo Kojima
• 「身寄りのない高齢者の病院・施設の入退院･所等における問題点と対策について」 Chieko Matsukuma
• “Supporting End-of-Life Care for People Without Relatives: The Crucial Role of ALP and Decision-Making Support” Masayoshi Egoshi
• 「日本における看取りの現状 ～他国との比較も含めて～」Toshiyuki Sugiura
• “The Record of End-of-Life Care Entrusted by My Mother: Conflict and Resolution of a Physician Facing Simultaneous Bereavement of Parent and Pet” Yoshiyuki Kunieda
• 「人生の最終段階における伴走者 ： 医療相談の役割」 Chihoko Hirabayashi
• 「ご遺族のグリーフワークを支えたい、そしてひとつひとつの体験をともしびに：『小さな灯台プロジェクト』の役割」Kazuko Kondo, Japan Society For Dying With Dignity

Symposium 2 9:30-12:20

• "Dying with Dignity: MAID, Death with palliative care, Sedation, VSED"
• Chair: Satoru Mitsuoka, Board member of JSDD
• “ “Euthanasia” Why and how in The Netherlands” Rob Jonquiere, Former Executive Director of WFRtDS
• “Palliative Care and Palliative Sedation in Japan: Addressing Refractory Suffering at the End of Life” Masanori Mori, Seirei Mikatahara General Hospital
• “Voluntarily Stopping Eating and Drinking (VSED): A Lesser Known but Widely Available End-of-Life Option” Pope Thaddeus
• 「日本における尊厳死をめぐる議論の社会学的考察」
• Miwako Hosoda, Seisa University
• 「日本における安楽死の議論について――倫理学者的見地から」Satoshi Kodama, Kyoto University

Session 3 9:30-12:20

• "International Comparison of MAID/VAD: Legal Evolution, Implementation, and Governance9:30 Announcement"
• Chair: Michiya Ito, Board member of JSDD
• “Twenty-Five Years of Medical Assistance in Dying Legislation in the Netherlands: Past, Present and Future” Fransien van ter Beek
• “Evolution of Medical Aid in Dying (MAiD) Legislation in Belgium and the Netherlands: From Terminal to Non-Terminal Suffering, Children, and Advanced Dementia”Dennis Demedts
• “The first decade: Clarifying the facts on medical assistance in dying and the role of the right to die movement in Canada”
• Kelsey A. Goforth
• “A Summary of MAID Practices and Progress in the United States, incluidng the 3 new states since the last WFRDS conference in Dublin” Edmund Tiryakian
• “How Community Voices Shaped the Voluntary Assisted Dying Conversation in Victoria, Australia” Jane E. Morris
• “Issues Surrounding Voluntary Assisted Dying Laws in Australia” Takako Minami
• “Regulating Medical Assistance in Dying in Slovenia: Legal Context, Stakeholder Positions, and Recent Policy Developments” Marija Milavec Kapun
• “Tung LAM Bill” Lam Lord Tung

Anniversary Lecture 14:00-14:40

• Chair: Yoshihiro Kitamura, President of JSDD
• "50th Anniversary Lectures of the Japan Society for Dying with Dignity and the Histories of Its Regional Branches" Soichiro Iwao, Honorary president of JSDD

Symposium 3 14:00-15:40

• "Symposium on Dementia and LW-Support for shared decision in the EOL”
• Chair: Masahiro Nomoto, Vice-president of JSDD
• “Medical Treatments in Advanced Neurological Disorders: Expected Benefits, Burdens, and Limitations” Takayoshi Shimohata, Gifu University
• “Support for Decision-making regarding Medical Treatments for Neurological Conditions including dementia at the EOL (Tentative)” Mieko Ogino, Toukai University
• “Can We Choose Not to Live With Advanced Dementia?” Asunción Alvarez

Session 4 14:00-17:00

• "Social Practice and Care in MAID/VAD: Barriers to Access, Cross-Border Choices, and Death Literacy"
• Chair: Shusho Okada, Board member of JSDD
• “”Planned Swissicide”: A neurocognitive and corporate model for intercepting high volume of Swiss VAD clients as a global suicide-attempt prevention strategy” Kristy Martin
• “Reflections on suicide tourism” Lewis M. Cohen
• “Cross-Border Choices at the End of Life: Experiences of Korean Families Seeking Assisted Dying in Switzerland and the Regulatory Gap” You ha Nam
• “Implications of Exploring the Boundaries of Assisted Dying in Switzerland - How Pegasos has Extended the Eligibility Criteria”
• Sean Davison
• “When Medical Aid in Dying Too Often Fails Suffering Individuals” Janet Hager
• “Why Do Voluntary Assisted Dying Regimes and Judicial Decisions Emerge in Particular Regions?”  Yukio Sakurai
• “Bridging Gaps in Medical Aid in Dying Access: Inequities in End-of-Life Choice in the United States” Donald J. Moore
• “From the Value of Continuing to the Right to Stop: Antinatalism and the Philosophical Justification of MAID” Kazuo Kojima

Award Ceremony for Distinguished Service to JSDD 14:40-14:50

Regional Branch Presentations 14:50-17:00

Symposium 4 15:40-17:00

• "Withholding and withdrawing artificial nutrition and hydration (ANH)”
• Chair: Reiko Miyamoto, Board member of JSDD
• “Artificial Nutrition and Hydration in End-of-life care : Considerations on Continuation and Care Options Yuko Joie, Izumiotsu City Hall Welfare Office
• “Empowering the Courage to Say No “The Little Lighthouse Project”” Kazuko Kondo, Japan Society For Dying With Dignity
• “Withholding and withdrawing artificial nutrition and hydration (ANH)” Reiko Miyamoto
• “Drip is natural enemy” Kazuo Io, Tachikawa home care clinicl

Gala Dinner

Saturday, November 28, 2026

Special Film Screening: "Peaceful Death" 10:00-12:00

Information & Activity Booths 10:00-12:30 

• Interactive “Go Wish Game” 
• Workshop: Reflecting on Future Care and End-of-Life Choices
• Medical Consultation Booth
• Legal Consultation Booth
• Therapy Dog Interaction Session and Demonstration