Minoru Kamata

Doctor, Physician, Writer, Honorary Director of Suwa Central Hospital, Chairman of Japan Chernobyl Fund (JCF), Clinical Professor of Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Part-time Professor of Tokai University Medical Department.
Recipient of the Best Father Yellow Ribbon Awards in 2009.
Recipient of the NHK Broadcasting Culture Award in 2011.

Minoru Kamata was born in 1948, and raised in Tokyo. After graduating from Tokyo Medical and Dental University in 1974, he settled in Chino, Nagano. For more than 30 years he has practiced medicine at Suwa Central Hospital. In 1988 he was appointed Director of the hospital.

Dr. Kamata has strived to make Suwa Central a ‘model’ hospital. The institution enjoys an unparalleled reputation in the local community. Medical personnel from other hospitals regularly visit Suwa Central for purposes of observation. Minoru Kamata has supported charity work in Belarus from 1991, following the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster. He established the Japan Chernobyl Foundation (JCF), through which he has organized about 94 medical and humanitarian aid missions by Japanese doctors and nurses to assist those affected in the aftermath of the disaster. Through his efforts medical appliances and medicines totaling more than 1400 million yen.

Most recently he has started relief operations for Iraqi children suffering from leukemia. Since 2004 he has organized the supply of medical appliances and medicines to 4 pediatric hospitals in Iraq.

In recognition of these works JCF received the "Franchishk Shkarina Award", from the President of the Republic of Belarus in 2000, the "Takashi Nagai Peace Commemorative Nagasaki Award" in 2004, and the "Yomiuri International Cooperation Award" in 2006.

Here is an article about his book "Kotoba de chiryo suru"：
"In the beginning was the Word ~Message from Kamata Minoru~"　( Sue, iBS foreign language shool)