The successful surgical treatment of gastric cancer in 1881 was a breakthrough not only in gastric but also in digestive surgery. By the beginning of the 20th century, the modalities of gastric surgery had almost reached the present level. At that time, the successful resection rate was 20% and mortality rate 50% in patients undergoing gastrectomy for cancer. During the 30 years after World War II, the extent of gastric resection increased, lymphadenectomy was introduced, and the number of concomitant resections of organs in addition to the stomach also increased. Since the 1980s, modified surgery has been performed in patients with early-stage gastric cancer. Based on data collected by the Japanese Research Society for Gastric Cancer, the current resection rate is 91.3%, mortality rate 1.0%, and 5-year survival rate 71.6% in patients with gastric cancer.