The recruitment and training of early-career researchers are important for the development of science, especially in countries with low birth rates, such as Japan. In several academic societies for social medicine, early-career researchers have formed associations for the purposes of networking and career development. However, to date, little information about the activities of these associations has been shared. Therefore, we organized a symposium at the 93rd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society for Hygiene (March 4, 2023) to introduce the early-career researcher associations that have been formed within five academic societies namely the Japanese Society for Hygiene, Japan Epidemiological Association, Japan Society for Occupational Health, Japan Society for Medical Education, and Japan Society for Healthcare Administration. In this paper, we summarize the activities, challenges, and future prospects of each association and their strategies for future development and collaboration on the basis of presentations and discussions at the symposium.
