On July 10th and 11th, I had the honor of attending the 65th Summer University Lecture on Rural Medicine at Saku General Hospital in Saku City, Nagano Prefecture, where I accepted the Wakatsuki Award on behalf of (ARI. In addition to receiving the certificate and supplementary prize, I was also privileged to deliver a commemorative lecture.
The Wakatsuki Award was established to honor the legacy of Dr. Toshikazu Wakatsuki (1910–2006), a pioneer who dedicated his life to the development of regional healthcare and rural medicine at Saku General Hospital. The award recognizes individuals and organizations that have made outstanding grassroots contributions to health, medicine, and welfare.
You might wonder, “What is the connection between rural medicine and ARI?” Yet, we found that our goals are in perfect harmony: protecting the health and welfare of people living in rural communities and directly linking that to the well-being and peace of the entire region.
Dr. Wakatsuki left behind the beautiful words, “The rural village is our mother,” cherishing rural areas as the very source of life and the place that nurtures it. The venue’s Rural Health Education Hall also proudly displays the slogan: “Together with Rural People.”
Engaging with these profound philosophies, I deeply felt that many of the core values we hold dear at ARI are beautifully reflected there.
