First, I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who supports Kumamoto University Hospital.

My name is Toshinori Hirai, and I assumed the position of Hospital Director at Kumamoto University Hospital in April 2024. After graduating from the Kumamoto University School of Medicine in 1989, I worked as a radiologist for 34 years. I am now taking over as Hospital Director with the intent of giving back to the hospital that trained me.

Kumamoto University Hospital has a long and storied history, beginning as Saishunkan, a medical training school of the Kumamoto domain established by Lord Hosokawa Shigekata in 1756. It later became the Furushiro Medical School & Hospital in 1871, which was where Dr. Kitasato Shibasaburo, the father of modern medicine in Japan, received his education in medicine. In 2024, we placed a relief sculpture of Dr. Shibasaburo Kitazano and his former teacher from Holland, Dr. Mansveldt at the entrance to our outpatient clinic building as a public monument to Dr. Kitazato.We would be delighted if you would take a look the next time you visit the hospital.

Our mission is to provide patient-centric care, work hard to further develop the field of medicine, and contribute to regional health and welfare through strict medical safety management.Grounded in this purpose, we focus our energy on training medical professionals who can respond in the face of rapidly changing circumstances, such as emerging infectious diseases and devastating disasters, while also promoting personnel exchange to improve regional medical care.

As the only advanced treatment hospital in Kumamoto Prefecture, we are considered the region's "last line of defense" when it comes to medical care.In order to meet this high national standard, we invest significant effort into creating a cutting-edge environment with tools such as robot-assisted surgery and interventional radiology (IVR) to provide advanced medical treatments, including organ transplantation, complex surgeries, multidisciplinary cancer treatment, and minimally invasive procedures, such as those used in nuclear medicine.Moving forward, we will strive to contribute to improvements in these fields as well as the development of highly anticipated treatments, such as gene therapy and immunotherapy, so we may provide the best care possible for all our patients.

We here at Kumamoto University Hospital will continue to work together to meet the expectations of our patients, the community, and society. We appreciate your continued support of Kumamoto University Hospital.