Message from H.E. Arifin Tasrif

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources of the Republic of Indonesia: (23 October 2019～)
Former Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary of Republic of Indonesia to Japan and Micronesia: (13 March 2017 – 23 October 2019)

I came to know about this program, the Japanese Council for Medical Training, or JCMT, and Toranomon Hospital when my eldest daughter participated in the program as a JCMT Fellow in 2015, and I have had a strong interest in this project since that time.

The JCMT is a program with a long history spanning more than 40 years. A total of more than 70 doctors from my own country have participated in training in various medical fields, and many have contributed to medicine in our country as top-class doctors after returning to Indonesia.

At Toranomon Hospital, which is the training hospital for JCMT Fellows, I have heard that the Fellows do not simply study advanced medical techniques, but also learn about a better form of patient-centered team medicine. On the other hand, the JCMT has continuously conducted a program of practical, hand-on guidance suited to local conditions in the home countries of the JCMT Fellows by dispatching the Advising Doctors who guided their training at Toranomon Hospital to participating countries. As part of this effort, the JCMT dispatches doctors to Indonesia each year.
I am deeply grateful that the JCMT has not only worked to ensure an effective transfer of medical technologies to doctors in our country, but has also promoted friendship between Indonesia and Japan through these two-way activities.

Beginning in 2017, I resided in Japan for two and a half years as the Ambassador of Indonesia and Micronesia, and during that time, I received regular health examinations at Toranomon Hospital, the JCMT’s training hospital, and experienced its superb medical services at first hand.
As Ambassador, I was also invited to the Special Commemorative Reception of the JCMT, where I had the opportunity to meet the members of the JCMT Council Board including representatives of the JCMT’s Corporate Sponsors. On that occasion, I was very impressed to learn that the philosophy of the JCMT is to “promote ties of friendship between Japan and the Fellows’ home countries through medical training.” A large number of current and former Fellows from various countries were also invited to this reception. Seeing for myself the warm friendships that had grown up among them, going beyond national boundaries and differences in culture and customs, I was moved once again that the JCMT program is indeed contributing to true international friendship through that philosophy.

I would like to express my heartfelt respect and profound appreciation to all the JCMT’s Corporate Sponsors, who so generously support this wonderful program, and to Toranomon Hospital, which is continuing to contribute to the development of medical human resources in other countries.
I pray that this program will continue for many years to come, and will also continue to develop and grow.

2023.12.8
Arifin Tasrif