Message from Our Founder
Yoshioka Hideto
“Founder / Pediatric Surgeon”
Japan Heart’s activities are based on the ideas of simplicity, beauty and compassion. Our health care organization started in Japan and so these three ideas are deeply influenced by our cultural view of the world. In Japan, “cha no yu” or Japanese tea ceremony is a traditional cultural art which has been practiced for 500 years. Japan Heart’s work is the reflection of what “cha no yu” represents: lavish decorations are nowhere to be found, intangible beauty is right there within and practitioners always bear compassion for others.
I want Japan Heart to value the empowerment of women more than any other organization does, as I believe that the blossoming of women’s capabilities will profoundly benefit the world. When the women in our organization play pivotal roles in our missions, offering compassion, it should make a difference in healing the bodies and the hearts of those in need.
In Cambodia, the role of developing local nurses is vital for Japan Heart. Our Cambodian nurses only graduated in 2016 and they have already begun to exceed the level of Japanese nurses. Though it is common among them to believe that Japanese nurses are innately more skilled, it is a false belief. It is only natural that working in a good environment would usher in a higher level of ability
Happiness is obtained only when hearts are healed. And so, providing health care which can heal the hearts of people is our ultimate goal. Embracing this concept, Japan Heart will strive to provide health care that is capable of rescuing not only the bodies but also the hearts of the people in the world who need it most. We are here to help.
Who We Are
Japan Heart was founded in 2004 as a volunteer-based international health care organization. Dr. Hideto Yoshioka, the founder, launched Japan Heart after treating patients abroad for years. He realised the need for improved health care services and initially began treating patients in Myanmar, later expanding into Cambodia and Laos. Many medical professionals — particularly doctors and nurses — and volunteers are sent from Japan Heart to engage in health care work in these countries.
In addition to medical intervention, the diverse operations include: providing hygiene care; training local health care professionals; improving elementary and middle school infirmaries; operating a hospital; running a facility to protect orphans of natural disasters, AIDS and other diseases; and training the visually impaired for social independence. In Cambodia, Japan Heart operates a hospital where over 80 staff from many fields, both medical and non-medical, are employed. The commitment to developing the highest quality local medical and support staff is something that Japan Heart takes seriously.
Our Credo
Various kinds of wonderful encounters have taught us that every single life is of value and irreplaceable.
No matter what we face, at the end of our lives, we believe that our purpose will be carried on, beyond time and space, like the warmth being passed from one hand to another.
Japan Heart, as one of the most reliable and promising international medical organisations and will never stop evolving in order to help realise a brilliant future for everyone.
We celebrate every encounter as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to share a moment, and thus commit ourselves to provide excellent hospitality through which all involved find happiness and contentment.
We sincerely follow our instinct for caring, and serve those who do not have access to medical care, without discriminating on nationality, race, politics, religion, or circumstance.
We do not measure our lives in terms of money, status, or fame. Instead, we act on what we believe is truly valuable; trust, compassion, appreciation, courtesy, and wisdom.
Japan Heart’s work represents a project, where experience, youth, capability and potential, come together to generate trends that become cultural and historical values.
We shall acknowledge and respect who each of us are, while believing in our own potential and challenging ourselves, for self-fulfilment and the benefit of social welfare.
We must earnestly study our history while also trying to live each moment to the fullest and looking ahead to the future, so that we can contribute to social well-being both at home and abroad.
In order to be the best international medical professionals, we shall keep our minds and bodies sharp, never fail to neglect our daily lives, understand that service is our natural duty, humbly give our all, and continue to improve ourselves day by day.
‘Quality’ is the most crucial value for us.
Vision
To build a world where everyone can be grateful for the gift of life.
No matter the circumstances that people are born in, they should have the opportunity to live a healthy and happy life. This is the world that Japan Heart fights for every day.
Mission
To deliver healthcare to medically-isolated areas.
Developing countries, remote locations, disaster-stricken areas and inside the human heart. These are the most difficult places to bring medical care to, which is why we do it.
Values
There are three core values support the weight of our work inside and outside of medical care.
1. Value other people’s lives as you value your own
2. Strive to maximise collective welfare with every action
3. Pursue excellence with every encounter
Our Project
Outside of Cambodia, we are also active in Myanmar, Laos and Japan.
If you are interested in our work, please check our Official Website.
