#Japan #Tokyo #Kitasato Premium Award #Kitasato Shibasaburo #Quality Assessment

Honoring the Legacy of Kitasato Shibasaburo

On July 3rd, 2025, Japan marked the first anniversary of the new ¥1,000 note featuring the portrait of Dr. Shibasaburo Kitasato, revered as the father of modern Japanese medicine. To commemorate this significant milestone, his great-grandson, Norio Kitasato, in collaboration with Ryota Yoshimura from Taskakeru Co., has launched the Kitasato Premium Award under the Japan Quality Evaluation Organization™. This initiative aims to carry forward Dr. Kitasato's ethos of "passion and sincerity" into the modern era through a new and innovative quality assessment system.

A New Standard of Excellence

The Kitasato Premium Award embodies the principle that with genuine passion and integrity, anything can be achieved. This award seeks to identify and evaluate products and services that significantly contribute to health, hygiene, and safety—values that align with Dr. Kitasato's lifelong work. With a strong emphasis on both trust and authority, this award aims to establish a new standard in quality evaluation for the upcoming generation.

Building Trust in the Community

Trust is a vital metric in Japanese society when it comes to choosing products and services. To support the launch of this award, a nationwide survey conducted by a Japanese standards organization in June 2025 revealed compelling statistics:

• - 76.4% of respondents recognized the figure on the new ¥1,000 note.
• - An impressive 90.9% of respondents expressed their belief in the trustworthiness of Dr. Kitasato.

These figures highlight the depth of Dr. Kitasato's recognition and trust in society, reinforcing the significance of the Kitasato Premium Award as a new societal benchmark for consumers seeking reliable options.

Additionally, the survey findings underscored several key contributions of Dr. Kitasato to modern medicine:

1. His dedication to educating and fostering medical professionals, including the establishment of Kitasato University.
2. His groundbreaking work in isolating the tetanus bacterium for the first time in history.
3. His discovery of the plague bacterium, which gained international acclaim.

A Reliable Indicator of Quality

With a strong foundation of social trust, the Kitasato Premium Award aspires to go beyond mere assessment of quality. It is intended to serve as a trustworthy societal indicator that consumers can confidently rely on when making choices. To achieve this, the award incorporates:

• - Stringent Evaluation Criteria: Ensuring only the highest quality products are considered.
• - Broad Collaboration with Society: Engaging various sectors to enforce new cycles of value for consumers, businesses, and local communities.

Expanding the Scope of Evaluation

In a bid to diversify its offerings, the Kitasato Premium Award will also include private brand (PB) products from major drugstore chains, addressing the everyday choices consumers face. Furthermore, locally sourced products will be actively evaluated, aiming to enhance regional brand value and stimulate economic growth.

Strict Evaluation Process

A comprehensive and fair evaluation system will consist of specialists from multiple fields, including medicine, engineering, social contributions, and education. The judging standards focus on health without including pharmaceuticals or cosmetics. They will also assess production processes, risk management, and social responsibility to ensure a rigorous selection process.

Future Goals and Community Contributions

The Kitasato Premium Award is not just an accolade, but rather a commitment to societal value. Proceeds from the award will partially fund public health, education, and welfare initiatives, creating a culture wherein consumers can promote reliability.

With collaborative efforts from various partners, the initiative seeks to maintain a “platform of trust” that addresses modern concerns for consumers, businesses, and communities alike. The award is designed to evolve alongside societal needs and challenges, ensuring its relevance in the years to come. As it establishes itself within the industry, the Kitasato Premium Award aims to not only define excellence but also instill a tradition of trust in Japanese society, paving the way for a brighter future.