Unfortunately Prof. Hölscher was not able to receive this honour personally in april 2020 in Yokohama during a traditional session of the 120. Congress of the Japan Surgical Society under the presidency of Prof. Kitagawa of the Keio University in Tokyo, because this event was cancelled due to the Covid 19 pandemic. In the postponed partial digital virtual congress in august 2020 no foreign doctors could participate because of the travel restrictions. Therefore Prof. Hölscher could only send a video message to the congress participants. Worldwide only 34 doctors without Japanese nationality were appointed to Honorary Member of this very distinguished Society.