On Friday, January 30, 2026, the Kyushu-Taiwan Future Institute, co-hosting with Japan Heart, held the lecture event "The Dignity of Life: Words from Those Who Stand at the Boundary Between Life and Death" in Fukuoka City. Connecting the venue and online, the event received 142 registrations by the day before (45 in person, 97 online).

The speakers were Hidetoshi Yoshioka, founder of Japan Heart and a pediatric surgeon; Mitsuji Fukumoto, representative of Sekifusha and a director of Peshawar-kai; and Hideyuki Kashiwagi, a physician at Iizuka Hospital.

Dr. Yoshioka spoke about his ongoing work facing life in regions that medical care does not reach. Mr. Fukumoto spoke about the practice and thought of Dr. Tetsu Nakamura and his many years of work in Afghanistan. Dr. Kashiwagi, under the theme "Toward Medicine That Supports Aging Communities," discussed medical care and care that respects patients' wishes, and palliative care supported by the community.

In the special panel discussion that followed, the three speakers engaged in dialogue around the questions of how to face "the lives that could not be saved" and why they nonetheless continue to stand on the front lines. From the different settings of overseas medical aid, building the foundations of daily life, and community medicine, it was an opportunity to reflect on what it means to uphold the dignity of life.

The Kyushu-Taiwan Future Institute will continue to create spaces for thinking about the future together through learning and dialogue that cross countries, regions, and fields of expertise.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the speakers and to everyone who participated and supported the event.