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Our Founding Spirits

‘Saisei-Kyumin’ & ‘Kokki-Junko’

‘Saisei-Kyumin’ & ‘Kokki-Junko’

Nippon Medical School is the oldest private medical school in Japan with a history of more than 130 years. In 1896, during the Meiji Era, Nippon Medical School’s founder Tai Hasegawa established ‘Saisei-Gakusha’, a private medical school and a predecessor of Nippon Medical School. Tai Hasegawa founded ‘Saisei-Gakusha’ in order to pursue his two founding spirits, ‘Saisei-Kyumin’, meaning ‘to save people widely’, and ‘Kokki-Junko’, meaning ‘to discard oneself to serve for public’. Through the changing times, these founding spirits remain as our core philosophy. More than 10,000 graduates and students who will lead tomorrow’s health care have inherited the philosophy of ‘Saisei-Gakusha’.

History Timeline

1876・Saisei-Gakusha

Saisei-gakusha, a medical practitioner's training school that teaches western medicine is founded by Tai Hasegawa. Saisei-gakusha is the direct predecessor of Nippon Medical School.

1904・Nippon Igakukou
Nippon Igakukou is founded. This private medical school accepts a number of students from Saisei-gakusha, which was closed in 1903.

1910・Hospital
Affiliated hospital opens at Sendagi area. This hospital later becomes Nippon Medical School Hospital.

1918・Core spirit
The School's motto is adopted: "Selfless devotion to patients and society".

1919・Nippon Igaku Senmon Gakkou
The name of the school is changed to Nippon Igaku Senmon Gakkou.

1924・Iida-machi Hospital
Iida-machi Hospital opens. This hospital later becomes Nippon Medical School First Hospital.

1926・Nippon Medical School
In accordance with the Universities’ Act of 1918, Nippon Igaku Senmon Gakkou becomes Nippon Ika Daigaku (Nippon Medical School), accredited to give tertiary education together with a pre-university course.

1937・Maruko Hospital
Maruko Hospital opens. This hospital becomes Nippon Medical School Second Hospital, which later changes its name to Musashi Kosugi Hospital. 1944・Igaku Senmon-bu
Igaku Senmon-bu , a special course for intensive medical training, is added during the War.

1952・Educational foundation
Following promulgation of the Educational Reform Act, Nippon Medical School changes its status from "endowed school" to "educational foundation", and starts to provide education in the liberal arts as well as medicine.

1960・Postgraduate School
Nippon Medical School's postgraduate school is founded.

1970・Six-year curriculum
An integrated six-year curriculum, including the pre-medical course, is established.

1977・Tama Nagayama Hospital
Nippon Medical School Tama Nagayama Hospital opens at Tama Nagayama area.

1986・The East Wing
A new building, the East Wing, opens at Nippon Medical School Hospital in commemoration of the 80th anniversary of foundation.

1986・110th Anniversary
Nippon Medical School celebrates the 110th anniversary of the foundation of Saisei Gakusha.

1990・The Institute of Gerontology
The Institute of Gerontology moves to the Second Hospital site.

1994・Chiba Hokusoh Hospital
Nippon Medical School Chiba Hokusoh Hospital opens at the Inba area of Chiba prefecture.

2006・130th Anniversary
Nippon Medical School celebrates the 130th anniversary of its foundation.

2007・Education and Graduate School buildings
Education and Graduate School buildings open at Sendagi area.

Schoolhouse of the former college preparatory course

Schoolhouse of the former college preparatory course

Clinical lecture on internal medicine

Clinical lecture on internal medicine

About Hideo Noguchi

Hideo Noguchi Hideyo Noguchi, a renowned microbiologist who devoted his life to the development of science, was a graduate of Nippon Medical School. In 1897, he graduated from Saisei Gakusha, a medical practitioner training school and the predecessor of Nippon Medical School. After the graduation, he became a researcher at the Rockefeller Institute. With his research on yellow fever, syphilis and many other diseases, he became a world-famous microbiologist. His devotion to science made him a Nobel Prize candidate on multiple occasions.
Provided by the Hideyo Noguchi Memorial Association