Torao Tokuda

Torao Tokuda was born in Hyogo Prefecture on 17 February 1938. He and His family moved to Tokunoshima island, Kagoshima Prefecture when he was at the age of two. When Tokuda was in third grade, his 3-year-old brother fell ill. As his brother suffered severe diarrhea and vomiting during one particular night, he tried to reach a doctor, which is said to have required him to run along an unlit mountain road. The doctor is said to have refused the request by Tokuda's house call, and soon thereafter Tokuda's brother succumbed to his illness. Tokuda aspired to be a doctor, which led to him transferring from his local high school in Tokunoshima to one in Osaka Prefecture. After high school, he was accepted into the medical school of Osaka University. He graduated with a PhD in 1966. == Professional life ==

Torao Tokuda aimed to open his own hospital, citing his disillusionment with the existing "contradictions in Japanese medical care" as a reason. However, he lacked the funds for it, having to use his life insurance policy as collateral to obtain a loan from a bank. named Tokuda Hospital ("徳田病院") in Osaka Prefecture. The hospital's main focus was on Emergency medicine. This fact has been attributed to his experience as a child, witnessing his brother passing after not being able to reach an available medical professional, as well as his own fear that he, too, might succumb without being able to receive medical treatment. He founded the medical group Tokushukai in 1975, naming it after his hometown and island Tokunoshima. The same year, he opened a second private hospital, named Nozaki Hospital ("野崎病院") in Osaka Prefecture. The latter part of the 70s was difficult for Tokushukai, as they struggled to gather enough funding and personnel. Despite this, by the end of the decade, 5 more hospitals would be opened by the medical group. Kishiwada Tokushukai Hospital opened in 1977 and Yao Tokushukai Hospital in 1978. In 1979, Tokushukai expanded beyond Osaka Prefecture, opening Nanbu Tokushukai Hospital (Okinawa Prefecture), Fukuoka Tokushukai Hospital, and Uji Tokushukai Hospital (Kyoto Prefecture). By the 1980s, Tokushukai had started expanding into eastern Japan, contributing to the decline of local medical care associations. Tokuda ran in the House of representatives election on a platform of medical reform. He lost the election twice, before being elected to the position In 1990 by a small margin of votes. After being elected to the lower house of the House of Representatives, he served four terms, retiring in 2005 due to medical complications. In 1995, immediately after the Great Hanshin earthquake, Tokuda used his position as Honorary President of Tokushukai to initiate emergency medical relief to affected areas. In 1996, Tokuda became president of the Japan Gymnastics Association and founded the Tokushukai Gymnastics Club within the Tokushukai group. == Later life, Illness and death ==

In April of 2002, Tokuda was diagnosed with ALS. ==References==