About us

At the National Cancer Center Hospital (NCCH), the area of international medical care has been positioned as one of the most important international activities to be promoted under a unified vision of the Department of International Clinical Development in which the International Medical Care Section has been established.

Message from the President

Hitoshi Nakagama, M.D., D.M.Sc.
President
National Cancer Center

Established as a central government initiative in 1962, the National Cancer Center serves as a prominent hub for cutting-edge cancer treatment and research, pioneering advancements in the field. As a core institution for clinical research and development in Japan, our hospitals are committed to leading world-class investigations and investigator-initiated trials. Our mission extends beyond treatment alone, encompassing the imperative to control cancer through both fundamental research and therapeutic interventions. Thus, it is incumbent upon us to devise comprehensive strategies and present them to our nation and its people.。

In recent years, our role has transcended borders, assuming a leading position in the treatment of international patients and engaging in collaborative research endeavors with global partners. Our overarching vision entails fostering international medical treatment, not solely for our domestic population, but also to cater to the needs of patients worldwide.

In line with our unwavering commitment to international outreach, the National Cancer Center Hospital has taken a significant step by establishing the International Medical Care Section in 2020. With this forward-looking initiative, we are actively developing the requisite infrastructure to facilitate expanded international medical services and collaborative research.

The hopes and aspirations of not only our fellow Japanese citizens but also those of patients from across the globe, including cancer patients and their families, are of paramount importance. It is incumbent upon us to address these aspirations earnestly, working towards viable solutions. In my capacity as President, I am dedicated to fortifying a healthcare system that ensures unwavering support and hope for all cancer patients and their families, fostering a future where their aspirations thrive.

Director’s remarks on the opening of the International Medical Care Section

Since its founding as a member institution of the National Cancer Center, the National Cancer Center Hospital (NCCH) has served as a leading hospital for cancer care and research based on its vision of “providing the best possible cancer treatments and care to the people of Japan in partnership with communities.” Our hospital not only performs extremely difficult surgical procedures, but also strives to minimize treatment invasiveness for early cancers by employing a full array of minimally invasive techniques, such as endoscopic surgery, interventional radiology, high-precision radiotherapy, laparoscopy, and robot-assisted surgery. Our important missions are to promote clinical trials and clinical studies, to collaborate in whole genome analysis and translational research in close collaboration with research institutes, and to research and develop treatments for rare and intractable cancers. We are also integrating genomic medicine into our practice to enhance our capacity to provide individualized cancer care.

In November 2020, the Department of International Clinical Development was established as a specialist department across NCCH to promote the international expansion of the world-class cancer care not only in Japan but also all aspects of our operations across the areas of research, education, and medical care. Within this department, we have established the International Medical Care Section that will contribute to international medical care by increasing the number of international patients we treat as well as the quality of care we provide them.

The need for international medical care in Japan has increased in recent years due to the growing number of non-Japanese cancer patients living in Japan as well as foreign nationals coming to Japan to seek advanced medical care. Although individual departments were already handling the needs of our international patients before the International Medical Care Section was established, in the new system the International Medical Care Section will take the lead in handling travel arrangements, multilingual support, translation of medical documents, and financial arrangements, allowing each of our clinical departments to focus on directly providing advanced medical care to our international patients.

As we begin engaging with more and more people from not only English-speaking countries but also many Asian countries, such as China, Korea, and ASEAN countries, we intend to do our utmost to provide advanced and reliable global cancer care. We greatly appreciate your understanding and support of this new system.

Kazuaki Shimada
Director
National Cancer Center Hospital

Mission & Goals

Mission

To improve the welfare of cancer patients by providing the best possible cancer treatments and care to patients in Japan and abroad, in collaboration with researchers around the world

Vision

To enhance international medical care capabilities in order to provide each and every patient around the world with Japan’s superior cancer treatments

Fact sheet Number of medical examinations by country, year, etc.

Number of examinees per year

April–September 2019	October 2019–March 2020	April–September 2020	October 2020–March 2021
63	83	28	34

Number of examinees by region

	April–September 2019	October 2019–March 2020	April–September 2020	October 2020–March 2021	Total
China	45	60	16	23	144
Vietnam	4	12	1	2	19
Russia	2	2	0	2	6
India	3	1	1	0	5
Indonesia	1	2	1	1	5
Korea	2	1	1	0	4
Taiwan	0	1	0	2	3
Thailand	1	2	0	0	3
USA	0	0	2	1	3
Other	５	２	２	3	12

Number of examinees by department (outpatient + inpatient)

	April–September 2019	October 2019–March 2020	April–September 2020	October 2020–March 2021	Total
Gastric Surgery	2	3	0	0	5
Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Oncology	8	10	1	4	14
Thoracic Oncology	13	13	8	7	41
Thoracic Surgery	2	1	0	3	6
Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology	12	21	4	3	40
Urology	2	7	2	0	11
Musculoskeletal Oncology	1	1	0	0	2
Pediatric Oncology	1	2	0	0	3
Colorectal Surgery	2	0	0	0	2
Neurosurgery and Neuro-Oncology	3	2	1	1	7
Head and Neck Surgery	5	1	0	0	6
Ophthalmic Oncology	1	1	0	2	4
Hematology	1	1	0	0	2
Radiation Oncology	1	0	1	0	2
Gynecology	2	3	0	1	6
Medical Oncology	7	12	0	8	27
Breast Surgery	0	1	6	0	7
Dermatologic Oncology	0	1	0	0	1
Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery	0	1	1	1	3
Diagnostic Pathology	0	1	0	0	1
Gastroenterology and Endoscopy	0	0	0	1	1
Head and Neck Medical Oncology	0	0	0	2	2