As of November 2005, Hattori had already assumed the costs of eyesight loss prevention surgery for more than 100 Vietnamese people. He leads a double life. He regularly returns to Japan to work as a temporary doctor to raise funds. While staying in Vietnam, Hattori has no days off, and he gives high priority to medical examinations and treatment activities in different localities during weekends.

Hattori says about the importance of his activities in Vietnam: “The patients thank him saying that they were treated by a ‘ Japanese’ doctor, not by a doctor named Hattori. I can’t be irresponsible nor can I leave anything half done. So I always do my best. I am always prepared to work with a Japanese flag on my shoulders.”

Tadashi Hattori was born in Osaka in 1964, and while he was in high school, his father died of stomach cancer. The heartless words of the doctor, who was in charge of his father, made him to decide to become “a doctor who understands the pain of his patients”. He entered the medical department of Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine and was inspired by Shigeru Kinoshita, the professor of ophthalmology, and he decided to study ophthalmology.

There were many self-centered doctors in the university, and the medical care provided there was not what he was seeking. He left the university, and acquired the achievements in several private hospitals in different places.
As a result, he managed to master the most refined surgical techniques in the field of vitreous body and retinal surgery known in Japan.

In October 2007, Hattori met a Vietnamese doctor at a clinical ophthalmology symposium in the Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine. The doctor told him that, “In our country, there are many people who cannot even have surgery to prevent them from becoming blind”, asking him if he could give treatments and educate doctors in Vietnam. He went there in April 2004.

Hattori was just bewildered by the shortage of medical necessities and staff behavior when he started in his new post in Vietnam. Since medical facilities were not sufficient, he purchased some of the newest medical equipment in Japan with his own money, which he had been saving as a deposit for an apartment he wanted to buy, and brought it to Vietnam.

Hattori was unable to complete all planned surgeries. Doctors, nurses and other personnel had a habit of taking a two-hour siesta at noon, so there was no one in the staff room before surgery time. They cleaned up slowly and took it easy while finishing work by 4 o’clock in the afternoon. That was their way, and surgery appointments were cancelled without a second thought, even if the patients were already waiting for their surgery. The local staff complained to him when they had to learn something new or when their workload increased.

Hattori asked the staff “If the patients were your parents, what would you do?” He tried to persuade them, and eventually made them understand the situation. The passion of Hattori, who was doing free surgeries and took medical treatment very seriously, gradually changed their attitudes.

Tomiya Mano, director of Tane Memorial Eye Hospital (Osaka, Nishi-ku) where Hattori, who went on knight-errantry in hospitals in various places in Japan, worked for two years from 1994, said, “Think that a patient is your family”. Since then this word has been Hattori’s principle. Hattori said that Mano taught him that a doctor should have not only the skills but also the heart. He learned much more. Even during surgery, Mano took the scalpel away from Hattori and other inexperienced doctors saying “I can’t stand watching your performance. Leave it to me.” And he also said, “Do you think that the patient wants a doctor like you to continue surgery, even if he is a family member or a close relative? Think well.” Hattori was mortified and when he was pointed out that his left hand was not working at all during surgery, he practiced using chopsticks with his left hand. He went to work earlier than any other doctor in the morning, and in this way he learned his lesson over and over. Such efforts improved his skills. (Quote from Yomiuri Shimbun, December 20th, 2006)

About one year and a half after Hattori went to Vietnam, Japanese newspapers reported about his activities. The Embassy of Japan in Vietnam learned about them. Thanks to this, Norio Hattori, the  Ambassador of Japan to Vietnam encouraged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan to provide medical facilities to National Institute of Ophthalmology and the Hai Phong Eye Center in Vietnam where Hattori has various activities including providing medical treatment. This led to Japan providing funds for Official Development Assistance.

July 4th, 2004, Yoriko Kawaguchi, Minister for Foreign Affairs, went to Vietnam for informal talks and she visited the National Institute of Ophthalmology where she expressed her admiration of Hattori and her gratitude for his selfless devotion.

July 13th, 2005, Hattori received an appreciation letter from Nobutaka Machimura, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, praising his meritorious deeds not only in improving healthcare technology but also for his efforts towards mutual understanding at a grass-roots level between Japan and Vietnam and for the promotion of friendly relations.

Although the training of medical personnel and its work ethics have improved, and the number of excellent Vietnamese doctors who trained with Hattori has increased, the environment in which they can use their skills is limited. Due to the shortage of medical materials, Hattori has purchased them at his own expense.

Hattori has a dream: In order to increase the possibility for people to get surgery from experienced surgeons, he wants a hospital with training facilities to educate doctors with skills and heart in Vietnam. And in the near future, in cooperation with Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and others he intends to extend the medical network from Vietnam around the globe, a network with a heart that considers patients its first priority. Now he is striving to make this come true.

She passed the audition for the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, and after the trial period she became the first Japanese female principal violist of the BPO in February 2001. Not only is she active in playing with the BPO, which is physically and mentally exhausting, but also plays solo and chamber music. These are necessary for growth as a musician. Her sincere attitude and concentration towards music and her performances are highly appreciated. Expectations for her future are very high.
Shimizu stated: “The charm of a viola is its deep tone. A viola is a laborious instrument and it takes time to become a skilled violist. I am interested in playing viola because of its difficulties.”
In an interview, she asserted: “… I want to value the time when I am not playing the viola as well. It is very important for me to spend time with my family. I think that growth as a human being makes music more rich.
<Quoted from “Tokyo Philharmonic concert calendar”>
[Profile]
She was born in Osaka and raised in Tsukuba City.
She began to learn violin at an early age.
She advanced to graduate school at TOHO GAKUEN SCHOOL OF MUSIC and studied viola under Nobuo Okada.
She moved to Germany after graduation and studied under Nobuko Imai at the Detmold University of Music.
Ms. Shimizu won first place at The ARD International Music Competition in Munich in 1997. This is where she gained popularity and this was the first time in 21 years that someone had won playing viola.
She passed the audition of the BPO, and after the trial period, she became the first Japanese female principal violist of the BPO in February 2001.
She continues her performances as the principal violist of the BPO and also actively performs with different orchestras as a soloist.
She was broadcasted in a program called “Jonetsu-Tairiku”of Mainichi Broadcasting System in January 2006 where she became highly admired.
She played with Kioi Sinfonietta in July 2007. In February 2008, she will be playing with the Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra.
[Memo]
A viola is a stringed instrument played with a bow (i.e. a violin, a viola, a cello, a contrabass). The sound of a violin is high and the viola is in the middle. A viola is a little larger than a violin but their structures are the same. The tone of a viola is gentle and deep. 
Famous viola pieces include:”Sinfonia Concertante in E flat for Violin and Viola” (Mozart),”Harold in Italy”(Berlioz), “Sonata for Viola and Piano” (Brahms), “Sonata for Viola Solo” (Hindemith), and “Viola Concerto” (Bartok).

Mako was born in Kobe, Japan, on December 10, 1933. He was the son of the noted children’s book author and illustrator Taro Yashima. At age15, Mako moved to the United States to join his parents who had emigrated there earlier. He became a naturalized US citizen in 1956.

After his service in the U.S. military, he embarked on a career in film and theater. He studied at the Pasadena Community Playhouse and made his first screen appearance in 1959.

Mako fought to get Asian actors better roles in Hollywood. Frustrated by the stereotyped and caricatured roles offered to himself and other Asian Americans, he co-founded an Asian-American theater company, the East/West Players, with six other actors in 1965, where he trained many Asian American actors and playwrights.

Over his 40-year career, Mako appeared in over 80 movies. His performance in movies and theater put him as a serious Asian-American actor in Hollywood. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1966′s The Sand Pebbles, and for a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for the 1976 musical Pacific Overtures.

Mako also appeared in the 1982 film Conan the Barbarian with Arnold Schwarzenegger, and in the 1977 film Seven years in Tibet. He played Admiral Yamamoto in the 2001 film Pearl Harbor and the 1999 Japanese film Owls’ Castle directed by Masahiro Shinoda. In 2005, he had a cameo role in Memoirs of Geisha.

Mako has a motion picture star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7095 Hollywood Blvd.

Mako Iwamatsu died of esophageal cancer at his home on July 21, 2006. He was 72. “He is reversed as sort of the godfather of Asian American theater,” cited Tim Dang, artistic director of East/West Players in a tribute to Mako.

Sadayakko was both popular and admired in Boston. A quote from that time: “She captured our heart and made us throw ourselves at her feet.” In Washington, she performed for President McKinley, as well as for Prince Edward in England. In 1990, she became the chief attraction at World Exposition in Paris. Jean Lorrain, a poet from the Symbolist movement, stated: “Sadayakko is, metaphorically speaking, a kind of hallucination caused by opium from the Far East. She is as elegant and gentle as Utamaro’s ukiyoe.” Andre Gide, a novelist also known as a severe critic, highly praised her. The famous sculptor, Rodin, had asked her to model for him, but Sadayakko’s tight schedule did not allow it to happen. A 19 year-old Picasso got her to model for him when Picasso was making a poster. In Moscow, she dined with a Russian emperor. Puccini, who was composing “Madame Butterfly” at that time, went to Milan just to see Sadayakko in order to create an image of a heroine.

Yomiuri Shimbun wrote: “Sadayakko left her name wherever she went. Could there ever be a Japanese who gave such an impression of Japan to Europe as strongly as Sadayakko?”

Takemitsu gained the worldwide recognition as a composer when his Requiem for strings (1957) was hailed as a masterpiece by Igor Stravinsky in 1958 during his visit to Japan.

She started to play the piano when she was 3 years old, and won the first prize at the 3rd  Ettlingen International Music Competition for Youth, Piano A Section, in Germany.  After that, she won many more competitions. In 2002, she achieved the brilliant feat of winning the 12th Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition: a first for a Japanese citizen and woman.
Since then, she has continued to play with prominent orchestras in many parts of the world. She now has a recording contract with EMI (a first for a Japanese pianist).

She has appeared at music festivals, recitals and on TV, in places such as Austria, France, Germany, Poland, the UK and the US. She plays as a soloist with orchestras under such conductors as Mstislav Rostropovich, Marek Janowski, Kristjan Jarvi, Kenichiro Kobayashi, Kazuhiko Komatsu, Norichika Iimori, and Naoto Otomo.

She toured Japan with both the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in Nov.2003, and with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra in May 2004. She received a lot of praise for her performances on both tours. On May 5th of that year, she won the highest praise when she made a debut at the Wigmore Recital Hall in London: the European chamber music place. She played there again in June, 2005. In Dec. 2004, she played with the NHK Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Charles Dutoit. And she was elected best soloist of the year in 2004. In Oct. of 2005, she had a Japan tour with Lorin Maazel.

She says; I’m happy to see the audience reaction to my performances.
Not only their applause, but also the audience atmosphere influences my performances. That’s why I want to play the piano in various places. When the time comes, I want to arrange my program at a level beyond my presentability, but I haven’t achieved that yet. I feel inspired to do this, and I believe I can play the piano better if I concentrate on my goals.

The International Whistlers Convention has been held in North Carolina every year in April since 1970, and this year was their 34th anniversary. Eight Japanese representatives participated in this competition.

On April 20th and 21st 2007, in the adult female category, Kimiko Wakiyama (分山 貴美子), from Fukuoka who graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, performed “Spring Song” by Mendelssohn at the International Convention and won first place in both popular and classical sections.

Ms. Wakiyama was interested in birds ever since she was a child. She became to play the piano whistling lightly and freely as birds. 

Furthermore, she went to Australia to see parakeets that flew freely in nature, which influenced her deeply.

She became interested in the interactions between birds through communications of “whistling” and she hoped to make music that resonated with nature.
 
Mr. Takumi Gima (儀間 太久実), from Okinawa and a sophomore at Kansai Gakuin University, won the championship in the teen category. At the International Convention, he whistled Mozart’s “Turkish March” and “Jyonetsu-tairiku”(Jyonetsu=passion or enthusiasm, tairiku=continent) and his clear tone and unique performance scored him first place in the popular and classical section. 

Influenced by his brother’s whistling, he first learned how to whistle when he was around ten years old. Since then he has been whistling as if he was breathing. He became obsessed with whistling when he first managed to make a beautiful tone. 

He performed songs for school as well as hit songs on his way home or at home. He also performed recitals in front of his classmates, during school recesses and on the school excursion.

His techniques were self taught, such as giving a high pitched sound by raising his cheeks and narrowing the space inside his mouth, which gave him a range of three octaves.  The image of the whistle was changed completely by Mr.Gima’s performance with a beautiful tone and dynamic dancing. He stated: “this is a field which few musicians study and it is an unexplored one, thus, making it interesting.”

Furthermore, he hopes to spread the magnificence of whistling to as many people as possible. He performs voluntarily at elementary schools and a weak children’s school. He also teaches whistle training. 

In the children’s category, Kosugiyama Chiharu (小杉山 千春) won first place in the popular section and also classical section.

Asuka Takita(滝田 明日香)
Born in 1975 in Fujisawa city, Kanagawa Prefecture.
She left Japan when she was six years old. She lived in Singapore, the Philippines, the United States and Kenya. When she was in Zambia, she found a job in the zoo. She lost her job because of a visa problem. She kept looking for a way of returning to Africa and was admitted into the Department of Veterinary Science, Nairobi University in 2000, aiming to become a big-animal veterinarian. She became a veterinarian in 2005, and lives in the suburbs of Nairobi with a pet dog, a cat and goldfishes.
Africa has the image of being beautiful but cruel, kind but deceiving, not being on time even when promised, far away from Japan, scary, and a place where women cannot go by themselves.

However, there is a savannah that extends right in front of her. She can go on safaris and she can go camping at the same time. This is the very life that she could finally discover by living in Africa. She likes Africa, and animals. She pushes forward to what she wants to do, saying that she tries hard to accomplish her favourite dreams. She is a woman who loves animals, and tells people that Africa is Heaven.

In 1982, when he was 10 years old he began to study ballet. Kumakawa entered the Royal Ballet School in 1987.
In 1989, he won the Gold Medal and the Prince Takamado Prize as the first Japanese at the Prix de Lausanne and the Gold Prize at the European Young Dancer of the Year Competition.

In the same year, Kumakawa joined the Royal Ballet as the first Oriental and he became the youngest soloist in the history of the ballet company after a few months.

In 1999, he organized the K-BALLET Company. Kumakawa works with enthusiasm as a dancer both domestically and internationally as well as producing, directing and choreographing  as an art director.
The repertory of his program is broad, from classical to modern work and his original productions show his excellent talent and sense.
His endeavors breathed new life into the Japanese ballet community which was much needed and he created the unprecedented ballet boom in Japan. Kumakawa envisions a more highly complete ballet as a composite art and continues to pursue new challenges.

They play three-string Tsugaru-jamisen with a remarkable speed and accuracy, as if playing electric guitars. They successfully create a fusion on melodies and rhythms, which have roots in old folk music of 16th century, with a jazz and rock interpretation.

The Yoshida Brothers, Ryouichiro and Kenichi, both began studying shamisen at the age of 5. They started their music career locally, and released their debut album, Ibuki, in 1999 as their reputation was growing in Japanese music scene.

In 2003 they debuted in the US, releasing the first albums “Yoshida Brothers,” made up of tracks from their third album “Soulful” in Japan.
Since their debut, they toured from coast to coast charming American audiences. Their second album, Yoshida Brothers II, was ranked 11th on iTune.

They also peformed in China and Spain.

In 1987, she discovered that there were many interesting film schools in Los Angeles, so she moved to the United States. While she was learning the basics in Santa Monica College, she also worked as a production assistant.

When she found out that Pietro Scalia, the Academy Award winner for “J.F.K.,” was looking for an assistant, she flew to Nepal to convince him that she was the right person.
Such was her drive that she was even prepared to work for free, if necessary. Her courage impressed him greatly and he gave her a chance. Over a period of 11 years, they produced various Hollywood movies.

Amazed by the rapid growth of the Korean film industry in recent years, she concluded that this was thanks to the introduction of Hollywood movie production know-how.

In 2005, she founded ISMP, a film school where the instructors, or  active movie industry professionals are teaching classes in Japanese. She dedicates herself to educating young Japanese filmmakers and tries to encourage them to fully express their unique character.

Dr. Shigeru Omi was born in Tokyo in 1949 and currently lives in Manila.
Dr. Omi is the Regional Director for the WHO Western Pacific Region, originally appointed in 1999 and reappointed in 2004. Dr. Omi’s remarkable achievements include taking preventive measures against infectious diseases such as the Polio, SARS and the Bird Flu. In 2006, he ran for Director- General for WHO, but he was defeated by Dr. Margaret Chan who was nominated from China.

In 2000, WHO announced the eradication of Polio followed by verification of the end of protoroph Polio in the Western Pacific Region (37 countries including Japan, Korea, China, Vetnam, Cambodia and Laos) under Dr. Omi’s leader ship.
 
Dr. Omi directed the administering of the enlargement vaccinations (BCG, DPT, measles, Polio) throughout the Western Pacific Region. Japan supplied the necessary vaccinations for Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Mongolia and Papua New Guinea.  Dr. Omi played an instrumental role in soliciting financial assistance from UNICEF, America, Australia and other international organizations.

Dr. Omi now concentrates mainly on the control of infectious disease such as tuberculosis. According to the WHO though 2004, 774 people had died of SARS compared to 3 million who die yearly as a result of TB (300,000 under the age of 15). TB infects approximately 2billion people or 1/3 of the world’s population, with 8million new cases each year.
A staggering 99% of the population in Third World countries has TB. TB ranks as the number one cause of death amongst independent pathogenic agent. Dr. Omi’s goal is to reduce the mortality rate by half by the year 2010.

Other objectives of Dr. Omi include the “healthy city project, strengthening of the health and medical system, and lastly, the establishment of “human medical study”. In Japan, medical care somewhat mechanical and approached largely from the biological and scientific side. Dr. Omi would like to see WHO take the psychological and emotional aspects more into account. This is his what he refers to as “human medical study”.

Seeking to be impressed by various forms of music, Sado conducts over one hundred performances a year, irregardless of whether they were at the professional or amateur level. In Europe alone, he has conducted 40 orchestras. His concerts are enthusiastically supported in every place.

In 1961, Yutaka Sado was born in Kyoto. He learned piano from his mother, an opera singer, and majored in flute studies at Kyoto City University of Arts.
He also studied conducting on his own.

He said, “I was interested in how I can create tones to attract the human heart rather than how I should play the flute. Impressed by tones, and interested in pleasing people, I thought I should perform the role standing at the podium to bring out the tones from musicians.”

Sado sought opportunity to direct anything, ranging from wind music clubs at high schools to chorus clubs organized by mothers. At that time, he had already believed that what moves peoples’ hearts is the same anywhere in the world.

At the age of 26, he applied, with little expectation, and received the opportunity to participate in the Tanglewood Festival, a gateway to success for young musicians. There, he was discovered by a conductor, Seiji Ozawa, and got the chance to have lessons from Leonard Bernstein in 1987. Sado’s global debut was at age 28.

“A conductor never plays a tone at all, so what is important is how to make about one hundred musicians willing to play, and also how to express each performance to the audience,” he said.

When reading scores, Sado stops to think at all times: What did Beethoven want to do? What did he try to express with this part? “If you have a passion to make musicians understand what you mean, they are willing to play, to get a feel for the meaning of the performance, and find the responsibility to put into practice.” He thinks that only learning music is not enough to express these words. “Though I sometimes made mistakes in past performances, I think the important thing in concerts is not to do well or make mistakes, but what you can leave behind at each concert.”

He is leading a renowned orchestra in France.

Orchestre des Concerts Lamoureaux in France, one of the orchestras where Sado is the principal conductor, is the oldest orchestra, with a proud history of over 120 years. This is a unique orchestra as it is self-operated by its members/musicians, whose mission is to spread classical music to the general public.

Sado became a principal conductor when he was only thirty-two years old in 1993, and brought up the level of Orchestre des Concerts Lamoureax, which had not been impressive. His reputation was established due to these achievements: Every succeeding time a concert was held, the number of audiences increased, and regular membership expanded to as much as four times. Ninety-eight percent of tickets were sold, occasionally attracting the activities of ticket scalpers.

However in 2005, Orchestre des Concerts Lamoureaux faced difficulty and was driven to give a final performance. Miraculously, on the day before the last concert, the media’s strong support and passion from fans and members moved the province and city of Paris to aid Orchestre des Concerts Lamoureaux.

The members call Sado “Leader,” and said they are happy to continue creating music with him. No contract exists between Sado and the members. In their own words, to sum the relationship: “We would like Yutaka to continue wielding the baton while he is passionate about us.”

Sado wrote on his webpage: “The orchestras I love and feel proud of the most are Orchestre des Concerts Lamoureax and Siena (Wind Orchestra). I am always thankful to them for teaching me to feel proud of where I work.”

At the end of every year, he conducts “Symphony No. 9,” where ten thousand people become united in chorus, from first graders to seniors. Rehearsing begins three months before the concert, which is only performed once. He said, smiling, that because of these tight schedules, he has to increase the number of rehearsals every year, but doing this drives him into a tight corner. He finds “music beyond music” with these concerts, like a sense of achievement after each performance, or a rediscovery of the fascination with music that makes all people kind.

He believes that clinging to courage is necessary to fulfill a dream. Sado devotes himself to training juniors, promoting communities related to him, and educational activities through music.

When he went to his old school, Kyoto City University of Arts, to give a lesson to the orchestra, he asked from the podium if they had any questions, as he wanted to let them know from the bottom of his heart that “the gate to dreams is open only for those who have courage.”

As expected, there were no questions. And so, Sado left a strong message: “I’m leaving now. Remember that all of you missed the chance right at this moment.”

There is no prospect for those who have no will to cling to. There are many who have only a dream.  But few possess a dream, evaluation, and continuous passion, and few have the will to conquer any obstacles. These are the very words from Sado, who focuses on what he likes, and takes action to fulfill his passion.

Sado has never stopped loving Kyoto, where he was born and grew up.”Leaving Japan, I realized how wonderful this city is. Each time I look at Kyoto from abroad, I think that it is a lovely place. After leaving Kyoto, I met Seiji Ozawa and Leonard Bernstein, and had experiences in different countries. These are meaningful to me, but having grown up in Kyoto is also a big influence on my improvement.