Tomisaku Kawasaki Memorial Lecture
Presented by Hirohisa Kato, M.D. , PhD
Professor Emeritus, Kurume UniversityTomisaku Kawasaki(1925-2020)(Formerly named) Hideko Ogawa Memorial Lecture

1995: Hirohisa Kato
1999: Malian Melish
2001: Stanford Shulman
2005: Kenshi Furusho
2008: Soichiro Kitamura
2012: Jane Burns
2015: Jane Newburger
2018: Hiroshi Yanagawa(renamed) Tomisaku Kawasaki Memorial Lecture
2021: Hirohisa Kato

Dr. Tomisaku Kawasaki was born in Asakusa, an old traditional downtown area of Tokyo. He was interested ininsects or animals and was heading for a biologist. After graduating from the School of Medicine in Chiba University in 1948, he began working at the Japanese Red Cross Central Hospital in Tokyo in 1950. He experienced variouspediatric patients. In January 1961, he encountered a 4-year-old patient with several impressive symptoms that hecould not diagnose. About 1 year later, when he was working night duty, he received a call from another doctor
asking him to hospitalize a pediatric patient who seems sepsis. He received the patient, however, he almost shouted,
because he saw the patient show the same facial appearance as the boy 1 year ago. He never forgot this patient andstarted to record these experiences in his ‘God Only Knows’ file. He accumulated 50 similar cases for 5 years andpublished a historical article in ’Arerugi’ by 1967, and an English version was published in Pediatrics in 1974. Thesearticles had a great impact worldwide, and the reprints were quickly out of stock.
The publication was one of the best case-series articles in medical history. Concerning the name of this disease,Dr. Kawasaki himself was modest to crown his name. But in honor of the discoverer’s excellent observational
ability, everyone gradually called this disease ‘Kawasaki disease.’
After his publication, nationwide surveillance was attempted in 1970. The result frightened him that not a few
sudden deaths occurred in children reported to have had this disease. Autopsies revealed large aneurysms ofcoronary arteries and an acute myocardial infarction due to thrombus coagulated inside.
This fact assigned a crucial challenge to the field of pediatric cardiologists. The opportunity for them toperform coronary ultrasonography, catheterization, and treatment of ischemic heart disease markedly increased. Thisdevelopment contributed to the rapid progress of pediatric cardiology.
Dr. Kawasaki relied on Professor Hirohisa Kato, the Department of Pediatrics, Kurume University, a pediatriccardiologist who reported the long-term prognosis of coronary artery aneurysm. They gave lectures all over theworld and worked together as lifelong colleagues.
Dr. Kawasaki was always with Mrs. Reiko Kawasaki, who was also a pediatrician. The first paper supplied
many impressive color photographs, which were very expensive to publish at the time. Dr. Kawasaki had financiallyhard days when he was young, and hesitated to use color photographs; however, Mrs. Kawasaki encouraged him thatcolor photos were absolutely necessary for his article, and she managed the budget.
Dr. and Mrs. Kawasaki participated in almost all the meetings together. The resolution of the cause of Kawasaki disease has been a long-cherished wish for Dr. Kawasaki, and he was interested in all the presentations concerning
the etiology. Therefore, it was very easy to find Dr. Kawasaki and his wife. They were always sitting in the front row
of the venue and listened to all papers and discussions.
Even after a wheelchair became necessary for Dr. Kawasaki, he welcomed young doctors gathering around him
to take pictures together and shake his hands at every meeting. However, the 12th International Kawasaki Disease
Symposium in June 2018 was his last participation in the conference.
He received many commendations from both medical and social categories.
He encouraged young doctors warmly and rigorously, with the motto “Be Strict to Study Medicine, Be
Warm-hearted to Care Patients.”
Mamoru Ayusawa, M.D.
The 13th International Kawasaki Disease Symposium
Presented on October 29, 2021