In 1914, at the opening ceremony of the Kitasato Institute, Dr. KITASATO Shibasaburo said, "No matter how much academic research a scholar may conduct and make public, if the results of that research are not used in practice, they cannot have any effect on life." This spirit has been valued and passed down to the present day as the "spirit of practical science" in our organization. More than 110 years later, while various technological innovations have brought a variety of benefits to human beings, modern society faces many challenges such as global environmental issues due to climate change, large-scale natural disasters, epidemics of emerging infectious diseases, and dizzying changes in world affairs. Also for our organization, the external environment is becoming even more challenging, including the rapid decline in birthrates and aging population. In such a social environment, we must remember what Dr. KITASATO Shibasaburo always taught his students: "Be a pioneer in your work and be thankful to others and their kindness. And, as a person of wisdom and practical science, maintain an indomitable spirit of perseverance," as we contribute to society with a spirit of practical science and continue to grow.
 
The most important thing to achieve this is for everyone at Kitasato to become one team. Mobilizing the strengths of nine faculties, eight graduate schools, three hospitals, two vocational schools, and one research institute, we will work on the development of a system and priority measures designed to transcend the boundaries of departments and demonstrate the comprehensive strengths of the entire Kitasato organization. Specifically, we will strengthen our research capabilities to promote research that contributes to society, cultivate quality human resources with good communication skills who have mastered the guiding principles, and further enhance and strengthen education, research, and medical care, including internationalization for "Kitasato University Connecting with the World", so that we can build on our achievements that contribute to society and make Kitasato Institute stand out internationally.
 
In these uncertain times, we will continue to pursue the path sought by our founder, Dr. KITASATO Shibasaburo, and will strive to fulfill our responsibilities with fervor and sincerity.

The present Kitasato Institute was created when the former Kitasato Institute (an incorporated association) and the former Kitasato University (an academic organization) were merged in 2008 to create a new educational foundation. Of course, the present Kitasato Institute, including Kitasato University, is heir to the accomplishments, traditions and ideals of its predecessors. In Japan The Kitasato Institute is known as the Kitasato Kenkyusho, and Kitasato University is called the Kitasato Gakuen.

The Kitasato Institute, Japan’s first private medical research facility, was officially established in 1914 by Dr. KITASATO Shibasaburo, and in 1918 it was registered as an incorporated association. The Institute was founded on Dr. Kitasato’s important achievements in the field of preventive medicine, especially immunology, where he successfully grew a pure culture of the tetanus bacillus, followed by his discovery of the serotherapy used to treat that disease. In 1962, The Kitasato Institute celebrated the 50th anniversary of its conception, and to commemorate the occasion, it founded Kitasato University as a general Life Sciences university with official recognition of the University being granted in the same year.

In addition to human and material resources, the integration of these institutions brings together an exceptional base of academic research and secures a multifaceted and stable management foundation with the aim of developing a progressive academic administration.

Holding Dr. KITASATO in high regard as its founding father, The Kitasato Institute manifests the Spirit of Kitasato, which he developed over a lifetime—to use your ingenuity and creativity to be a pioneer in the world of science, be thankful to the people and society that fostered you, and repay your debt with your contribution to society, put your knowledge and skills into practice for the benefit of society, tackle whatever challenge you may face with unwavering determination. The Institute applies these approaches to the scientific discovery of life phenomena that constitute the pressing, ever present concerns of humanity. In tandem with this, the Institute makes its primary mission the cultivation of pre-eminent researchers, educators and professionals in the Life Sciences and related fields.

The Kitasato Institute returns the results of its research to society by undertaking a variety of endeavors—chiefly preventive and medical activities based on an applied science approach—in order to broadly contribute to the development of society.

Japan's first research institute for infectious diseases, established by KITASATO Shibasaburo in 1892. This is the origin of The Kitasato Institute.
Since then, through our long history of more than a century, we have pioneered new paths in the field of knowledge related to "life" and have contributed to the advancement of life science by constantly opening our knowledge to society, especially in the fields of medicine and education.

As the inaugural president of the privately operated Institute for Infectious Diseases (later nationalized), Shibasaburo Kitasato endeavored to eradicate infectious diseases based on his firm belief that research results should be applied to the prevention and treatment of disease. However, he was apprehensive that he would not be able to achieve his goals when the institute was moved from under the authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs and placed under the Ministry of Education. In 1914, with the full conviction of his beliefs, he established the Kitasato Institute at Shirokane in Tokyo, its present location. This was on the same site as the first tuberculosis hospital in Japan, Tsukushigaoka Yojoen, established in 1893 through the enormous assistance of the venerable Yukichi Fukuzawa. The new Kitasato Institute perpetuates the spirit of Dr. Kitasato, which lives on today in the university and two vocational schools that bear his name and all associated staff and students.

With profound respect for the sanctity of life, our purpose is to contribute to society by dedicating ourselves to the quest for truth through the application of practical science.

The mission of the Kitasato Institute, integrated with Kitasato University, is to return to society the expertise in Life Sciences that has been accumulated over the 100 years since Dr. Shibasaburo Kitasato proclaimed the importance of maintaining a spirit of practicality. The Institute remains at the leading edge in nine practical fields that are held crucial in our current times, grounded in the achievements of the closely related fields of education, research and medicine.

While the Institute, integrated with Kitasato University, strives for greater advances in specialized educational and research fields, it also promotes research to apply these results to clinical situations. In addition, it is strengthening integrated efforts in various areas, from basic research and drug discovery to vaccine development, education and research in infection control, interprofessional health care, education and research in agromedicine for health promotion and environmental preservation, and education and research in the field of medical engineering for longer healthy lives.  The Institute also devotes itself to clinical trials and research to achieve beneficial integration of high-quality, safe pharmaceutical development through the collaboration and aims of its three hospitals, as well as a beneficial combination of Western and Oriental medicine.

In 2008, based on a new policy of unifying education, research, and the return of research outcomes to society, the Kitasato Institute was established through the integration of the university and vocational schools, other institutes. Firmly grounded in basic research and ranging over many fields, this organic network of knowledge is supported by the undergraduate schools, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the graduate schools, the research institutes, affiliated hospitals, the vocational schools and other institutes. Through this cooperation and shared vision, the institute seeks to further education and research.