Dr. Hideto Yoshioka Receives the Tadao Ando Cultural Foundation Award – Recognition of Long-term Medical Activities and Organizational Challenges – Honored at June 6 Award Ceremony

At the award ceremony on June 6, 2026 (left) Hideto Yoshioka (right) Tadao Ando

Japan Heart (Taito-ku, Tokyo; Chairperson: Haruna Yoshioka), a specified nonprofit organization originating from Japan as an international medical NGO, is pleased to announce that Dr. Hideto Yoshioka, founder and pediatric surgeon, has received the 12th Tadao Ando Cultural Foundation Award from the Tadao Ando Cultural Foundation.

This award is given annually to one individual or one organization by the foundation, chaired by world-renowned architect Tadao Ando, to those tackling various issues concerning the global environment. Past recipients include mountaineer Ken Noguchi (1st award), who continues cleanup activities on Mt. Fuji and Mt. Everest, and Dr. Tetsu Nakamura (2nd award), who provided medical and agricultural support in Afghanistan, among other distinguished individuals and organizations from various fields.

Speech at the Award Ceremony

Dr. Yoshioka was recognized for his long-standing achievements in confronting countless lives in medical settings in developing countries and his challenges in building an organization for sustainable development.

On Saturday, June 6, 2026, the general assembly of the Tadao Ando Cultural Foundation and the 12th Tadao Ando Cultural Foundation Award Ceremony were held at The Soudou Higashiyama Kyoto (Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture). At the ceremony, Mr. Tadao Ando presented the award, and Dr. Yoshioka expressed his gratitude on stage.

Japan Heart regards it as a great honor that the activities accumulated by Dr. Yoshioka personally over 30 years and as an organization over 20 years have been recognized in this way. Going forward, the organization will continue its activities and development toward the vision of "realizing a world where everyone is glad to have been born."

■ Hideto Yoshioka (Founder of Japan Heart / Pediatric Surgeon / Supreme Advisor)

Born in Osaka Prefecture in 1965. After graduating from Oita Medical University (now Oita University Faculty of Medicine), he worked at emergency hospitals in Osaka and Kanagawa. In 1995, he went to Myanmar alone to begin medical support activities. In 2004, he established the international medical volunteer organization Japan Heart (designated NPO corporation from 2011), expanding its bases to Japan and other Southeast Asian countries.

He continues to work on the front lines of medical settings in developing countries. He has appeared four times on TBS's "Jounetsu Tairiku" (three times featuring Dr. Yoshioka himself, once featuring the 'Japan Heart Asia Pediatric Medical Center' which he conceived), and received the 69th Kikuchi Kan Prize.