It is often said that medicine in Japan is still far behind the West. This is true, unfortunately, in terms of patients' rights advocacy, malpractice-prevention measures, the medical education system, and hospital amenities and working conditions.

However, in terms of medical technology, Japan is on a level with the West, and even as far back as the late 19th century, it had its share of world-class doctors, particularly in the field of bacteriology.

Prominent among these was Shibasaburo Kitasato (1852-1931), a native of Kumamoto who surprised the world medical community in 1890 when he discovered how to treat tetanus while studying in Germany under Robert Koch, a leading bacteriologist known for his work on tuberculosis.