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Congratulatory address at the WANS foundation commemorative ceremony
by Kazuhiro Araki

On the occasion of the Inauguration Ceremony of the World Academy of Nursing Science, let me extend a few words of congratulations.The World Academy of Nursing Science was established with the objective to contribute to the health and security of the people of the world, by improving the nursing standard through international academic exchanges concerning nursing science.

It is required to protect all of the people throughout the world from the expansion of infectious disease, including the new influenza pandemic that has broken out recently.  Especially when the intensification of the health system is called for, the role that is expected of nursing profession is great.  In such a circumstance, I believe it is significant and timely that the Japan Academy of Nursing Science has taken the initiative to establish the World Academy of Nursing Science in order to cope with world’s health issues.

I would like to pay my greatest respect to Dr. Hiroko Minami, the president of Japan Academy of Nursing Science, and all concerned who have made this establishment possible, and to Dr. Aiko Yamamoto, the chairperson of the 1st International Nursing Research Conference, and her staff members for their efforts.

Expectations towards the role of nursing profession are great also in Japan. Nurses are to play the central role in the development of an environment in which everyone can equally lead a healthy life, and in responding to the more sophisticated and personalized medical needs, and in realizing safe and secure team-oriented medical care. Furthermore, nurses are expected to provide high quality nursing focusing on the view point of patients and users.

Reflecting such great expectations towards the nursing profession, the number of universities to develop human resource in nursing is increasing annually, counting 178 this year. And now 20% of the newly appointed nurses have bachelor degrees, and there are increasing number of graduate schools that have been established.

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology intends to act proactively in order to further intensify our nursing education, so that the universities and graduate schools of nursing can develop highly qualified human resource, and contribute to the development of nursing knowledge, in order to meet the needs of our nation and the expectations of the international society.

Taking this opportunity, I would also like to ask the people here today, who play the central role in nursing, for your continuous support.

Last but not least, let me close by encouraging all of you here today on your endeavors for the development of nursing education for the benefit of the world health and welfare, and by wishing the success of the future activities of the World Academy of Nursing Science as well as the ceremony today.

Kazuhiro Araki,
The Director of Medical Education Division,
Higher Education Bureau,
The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology,
Japan
(translated by the secretariat of WANS)

Congratulatory address at the WANS foundation commemorative ceremony
by Ichiro Kanazawa

Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of the Science Council of Japan (SCJ), I would like to give my congratulations to the very first International Congress of the World Academy of Nursing Science held in Kobe. Since I could not attend to the commemorative ceremony due to my tight schedule, I would like to send this letter as just the sign of congratulations.

The SCJ is an organization representing a broad range of scientific community in the fields of humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and engineering sciences. It is shameful, however, since its establishment in 1949, the SCJ did not include the representative of the nursing science society. Four years ago, when the SCJ experienced a drastic structural renewal, the Nursing Scientist, Dr. Hiroko Minami, was selected first time as a formal member among 210 members of the SCJ. She made great efforts in these years to promote the nursing practice to be free from strong influence of old-fashioned doctors, and to promote the nursing science to be much more enriched. In other words, I suppose that her purposes of her activities are to bring the level of nursing practice to that of the international level and the nursing science to be evidence-based level. She may be in the half way toward her goal.

In this respect, the launching of the World Academy of Nursing Science is a most relevant event not only for the promotion of nursing science itself but also for the advancement of the nursing practice. I really hope that the World Academy contributes very much for fostering the nursing practice through the nursing science.

Congratulations again to the very first step forward to the brilliant future of the world-wide nursing society.

Ichiro Kanazawa
President of Science Council of Japan