Former Specially Appointed Professor (Ophthalmology) Naito Takeshi, has been selected as a recipient of the Foreign Minister's Commendation for the 2026 fiscal year.
The Commendation of the Foreign Minister is awarded to individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the promotion of friendly relations between Japan and other countries through their active roles in various fields of international relations; the purpose of this award is to honor these achievements and to foster greater understanding and support among the public for their activities.
Former Specially Appointed Professor Naito Takeshi has long contributed to international medical cooperation; alongside his duties at the Faculty of Medicine, he has spent over 40 years conducting medical activities in countries such as Nepal and Mozambique. In Nepal, specifically, in addition to providing direct medical care, he was involved in establishing the Department of Ophthalmology at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu and in projects to build eye hospitals in remote areas of southern Nepal. In 2016, he received a Commendation from the Head of the Diplomatic Mission from the Embassy of Japan in Nepal. He was selected for this award in recognition of his dedicated efforts to advance international cooperation in Nepal
