The initiative to establish a dedicated pediatric nephrology working group in Asia was first proposed by Dr. Tadasu Sakai in Philadelphia in 1980. Following six years of collaborative discussions, a core group of founding members was formalized.
In 1988, the group hosted its historic inaugural symposium in Tokyo, focusing on the “Epidemiology and Treatment of Renal Disease in Asian Countries.” The following year, in 1989, the organization officially became the Asian Society of Pediatric Nephrology (ASPN) under Dr. Sakai’s continued leadership.
Building on the foundation of that 1988 symposium, the society has since driven regional clinical and academic advancement through a continuous, decades-long series of the Asian Congress of Pediatric Nephrology (ACPN):
| Congress | Year | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Symposium | 1988 | Tokyo, Japan |
| 2nd Congress | 1989 | Nagoya, Japan |
| 3rd Congress | 1991 | Seoul, South Korea |
| 4th Congress | 1993 | Taipei, Taiwan, China |
| 5th Congress | 1994 | New Delhi, India |
| 6th Congress | 1996 | Manila, Philippines |
| 7th Congress | 2000 | Singapore |
| 8th Congress | 2002 | Jeju, South Korea |
| 9th Congress | 2005 | Beijing, China |
| 10th Congress | 2008 | Bangkok, Thailand |
| 11th Congress | 2011 | Fukuoka, Japan |
| 12th Congress | 2014 | New Delhi, India |
| 13th Congress | 2017 | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| 14th Congress | 2021 | Taipei, Taiwan, China |
| 15th Congress | 2023 | Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
| 16th Congress | 2026 | Bangkok, Thailand |
The council meeting during the 3rd Asian Pediatric Nephrology Congress, Korea, 1991
The 9th Asian Pediatric Nephrology Congress, Beijing, 2005
| Terms | Secretary-General | Assistant Secretary General | Treasurer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 - 2001 | Tadasu Sakai(Japan) | ||
| 2001 - 2007 | Alfiler Carmelo(Philippines) | Hui-kim Yap(Singapore) | Man-chun Chiu(Hong Kong, China) |
| 2007 - 2013 | Hui-kim Yap(Singapore) | Kishore Phadke(India) | Man-chun Chiu(Hong Kong, China) |
| 2013 - 2019 | Hui-kim Yap(Singapore) | Yam-ngo Lim(Malaysia) | Il Soo Ha(South Korea) |
| 2019 - 2025 | Arvind Bagga(India) | Jameela Kari(Saudi Arabia) | Wai-ming Lai(Hong Kong, China) |
| 2026 – 2028 (Current term) |
Hong Xu(China) | Randula Ranawaka(Sri Lanka) | Wai-ming Lai(Hong Kong, China) |