Report: NurseMen of the Year 2026 Award Ceremony Held on July 9 at Tokyo Big Sight to Showcase Diverse Nursing Careers

The Japan Association of Male Nurses (Shinjuku City, Tokyo; Representative Director: Kosuke Tsuboi, hereinafter 'the Association') jointly held the 'NURSEMEN OF THE YEAR 2026' award ceremony with the General Incorporated Association NurseMen (Arakawa City, Tokyo; Representative Director: Takahiro Akiyoshi) on Thursday, July 9, 2026, at Tokyo Big Sight, within the International Modern Hospital Show and Nurse Matsuri 2026.

What is NurseMen of the Year?

Modeled after the American Association of Men in Nursing (AAMN) awards, this unique Japanese award was established in 2025 to honor individuals who have transformed healthcare as 'professional nurses beyond gender.' The award recognizes male nurses nationwide who have made outstanding contributions in clinical practice, social activities beyond nursing, information dissemination via social media, and other diverse fields.

2025 Awardees

🏆 Influencer Award | Yuuto Isosaki Operator of the YouTube channel '@kidney-nurse-zaki.' As a kidney care specialist nurse, he clearly communicates specialized knowledge, reaching 213,000 subscribers.

🏆 Active Award | Kazumi Kubota

Researcher (Public Health and Data Science). With broad experience at the University of Tokyo, the Japanese Nursing Association, and policy think tanks, he contributes to nursing advancement through an integrated approach combining clinical practice, research, and policy. He has published over 100 papers in international academic journals. Appointed as a board member of the Japanese Nursing Association at age 25, he established a system to reflect frontline clinical voices in policy. Selected unanimously by the selection committee.

🏆 Male Nurse Award | Taitaro Sato

International medical and humanitarian aid activist. He contributed to nursing support aboard the Diamond Princess during the early stages of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Currently, he leads initiatives to build a global community of nurses and organize international nursing summits, promoting Japanese nursing on the world stage. Participated in the ceremony via video archive from Madagascar.

※ During last year's ceremony, Mr. Sato was in the middle of medical relief activities in Madagascar and could not attend. Therefore, this event served as a long-awaited formal recognition.

After returning to Japan, Mr. Sato suffered a stroke, resulting in left-side paralysis—an extremely harsh trial. The man who had saved countless lives on the frontlines of humanitarian aid now found himself facing a life-or-death crisis.

However, Mr. Sato did not succumb to despair. He began an intense year-long rehabilitation, confronting his paralyzed body with determination and, through indomitable spirit, regained the strength to walk again on his own.

Overcoming numerous challenges, Mr. Sato has risen once more. His presence on stage today inspires us with profound emotion and unwavering courage beyond words.

Watch Mr. Sato's rehabilitation story here: https://youtu.be/xsL06-F2wLM?si=2MsoQoNMurhMJ7Mc

Event Overview

Event Name: NURSEMEN OF THE YEAR 2026 Award Ceremony

Date and Time: Thursday, July 9, 2026, 15:30–16:30

Venue: Tokyo Big Sight (within International Modern Hospital Show and Nurse Matsuri 2026)

◾️ 2026 Awardees

Active Award: Naotaka Kanda Since 2019, serving as Head Nurse at Shinkoshiya Hospital, he has driven SNS-based public relations and recruitment DX, hiring 100 new graduate nurses over two years, earning him the nickname 'Recruit Monster.' He received the '5th Asia Conference on Chronic Care Excellence Award' in 2019 and the Japanese Nursing Association's 'Unforgettable Nursing Episode – Utako Ueda Award' in 2025. In 2026, he contributed to founding the 'Japan Association of Nursing Assistants,' becoming its president, and continues to make significant contributions to improving the social recognition of nursing assistants, advancing the healthcare industry, and leading organizational transformation for the hospital's relocation and expansion.

Mr. Kanda receiving the trophy from last year's awardee, Taitaro Sato

Influencer Award: Masayuki Arai

While working as a visiting nurse providing psychiatric case consultations and education, he has also contributed to writing books such as '105 Things to Know by Your Third Year to Be Called a Competent Visiting Nurse.' Simultaneously, he performs as a 'part-time dancer,' appearing on stage with renowned artists including Noriko Sakai, hitomi, Maki Ogu, Kaera Kimura, and Mrs. GREEN APPLE at the 2025 NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen. His hobby is hunting and foraging. At this ceremony, he delivered a stunning dance performance, embodying a vibrant lifestyle beyond the conventional nurse role.

Male Nurse Award: Keisuke Endo

While working in the neurosurgery ward at Shimane University Hospital, he is also pursuing a doctoral program in Global Regional Medicine at the same university's graduate school, achieving publication in international journals. Additionally, as a board member of the Japanese Nursing Association, he advocates for young nurses' voices in policy, serves as a community nurse engaging directly with local areas, and provides nursing education to high school students—wearing 'five straw sandals' at once. His overwhelming positive influence on the next generation across clinical practice, community engagement, policy, and education earned him high praise and this award.

Comment from Representative Director Kosuke Tsuboi

We were honored to host representatives from the Korean Association of Male Nurses, creating a highly valuable opportunity for international exchange. Globally, male nurses remain a minority in healthcare settings. However, there is a steady increase in pioneers with diverse backgrounds making remarkable achievements in fields beyond traditional boundaries.

We will continue to spotlight and widely celebrate our outstanding colleagues who persistently challenge themselves on the frontlines and in new domains.

Future Developments

During the ceremony, last year's awardees delivered reports on their activities over the past year. We will invite Kazumi Kubota, who won last year but could not attend, to host a study session on August 7, 2026.

Moving forward, we will establish a system to deeply explore the achievements and struggles of awardees—beyond what can be conveyed at the ceremony—through study sessions and similar events. Detailed information will be emailed to our members. Participation is free; we warmly welcome all interested individuals.

🔗 Register for Mr. Kubota's Study Session here: https://ophns23232323.peatix.com/view

▶ Details and Membership: https://gkb.jp/s/jmns/application

About the Japan Association of Male Nurses (New Members Welcome)

Established in September 2014, the Association operates under the motto 'Nursing for Nurses,' aiming to solve challenges across the nursing profession and improve healthcare environments for patients and providers alike. We conduct activities in multiple fields, including hosting the Nursing DX Award, customer harassment countermeasures, industrial nursing support, and home nursing support. We deliver over 50 annual lectures at prefectural nursing associations and academic societies, broadly contributing to improving the environment for nurses. Open to all healthcare professionals, including female nurses, we welcome individuals regardless of gender who are committed to advancing healthcare together. We are currently recruiting new members. Join us through seminars and networking events to co-create the future of nursing.