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Professor Yukio Fukuyama (福山幸夫教授)
Pediatric Neurology 53 (2015) 1e2
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Pediatric Neurology journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/pnu
Obituary
Professor Yukio Fukuyama (福山幸夫教授) David A. Stumpf MD, PhD * Professor Emeritus, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
Professor Yukio Fukuyama (Figure), an excellent clinician, accomplished scientist, prolific organizer, respected mentor, and exemplary leader died at his home in Tokyo on July 17, 2014. He was Emeritus Professor of Neurology at Tokyo Women’s Medical College and the Director of the Child Neurology Institute. He is survived by his wife, Madam Ayako Fukuyama. His accolades were earned over nearly 60 years from the dawn of modern pediatric neurology. His were unique and independent contributions that marked a proud and distinctive heritage for his beloved country. Yukio Fukuyama was born May 28, 1928, in the still remote mountainous town of Takachiho on the far western Japanese island of Kyushu. He was raised in nearby Kumamoto, describing his youth as deprived of the cultural influences of the outside world because of the hardships of World War II.1 This context had a history to which he was destined to contribute. The Dutch first introduced Western medicine into Japan in the seventeenth century when the Tokugawas ruled and sakoku (鎖国; closed country) policy prevailed.2 The Meiji Restoration, beginning in 1864, accelerated adoption of external influences. Fukuyama’s predecessors, including his mentor, Professor Shigeo Okinaka, were trained in Europe, primarily in Germany. After World War II, this one-way street became bidirectional as the Japanese became active contributors on the world stage. Okinaka initiated the planning for the Asian and Oceanian Association of Neurology in 1961 and was a founding Vice President of the World Federation of Neurology,3 achievements that influenced his mentee. Fukuyama was in the first generation entirely trained in westernized medicine within Japan. He was admitted to the prestigious University of Tokyo, completing his medical Article History: Received October 14, 2014; Accepted in final form January 22, 2015 * Communications should be addressed to: Dr. Stumpf; Woodstock Health Information & Technology; 1101 Alpine La; Woodstock, IL 600989726. E-mail address: [email protected] 0887-8994/$ e see front matter Ó 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2015.01.015
studies in 1952. He remained on the faculty after completing pediatric training. His chairman, Professor Tadao Takatsu (1910-1974), promoted subspecialties and named Fukuyama as the lead in pediatric neurology from 1953. By 1960, the group had grown to 10. In 1961, Takatsu convened a national meeting during which the Japanese Society of Child Neurology (JSCN; 日本小児神経学会) was founded with “seven samurai warriors” supporting Takatsu as president. Foremost was Fukuyama, who ran the secretariat from the University of Tokyo. The others were Board members: Masataka Arima (有馬正高), Shunsuke Ohtawara (大田原俊輔), Nakahei Ono (小野中平), Shunzo Konishi (小西 俊造), Tamotsu Terawaki (寺脇保), and Norimitsu Yoshikura (吉 倉 範 光). In 1968, Fukuyama became Chairman of the Board of JSCN, a position he would hold until 1993. He was tohattatsu (脳 the founding editor of the society’s journal No と発達), which later also appeared in English as Brain and Development. Fukuyama was a consummate academic. He trained more than 300 physicians, guided more than 100 doctoral dissertations, and wrote more than 600 original articles. His scientific contributions were broad but particularly focused and important in myology and epilepsy.4 His clinical descriptions delineated new distinct conditions and were generally followed by research studies exploring their basic mechanisms. His description of congenital muscular dystrophy was followed by a series of articles and collaborations leading to the identification of the FKTN gene, its protein product (fukutin), and potential therapies. Fukuyama dystrophy is the most common in Japanese children. He was a leader in the international epilepsy community. He published on his large cohorts of patients with infantile spasms, taking exception to the large doses of adrenocorticotropic hormone used in other countries. His patients responded to much lower doses, which avoided many adrenocorticotropic hormone adverse effects. He read extensively, collecting a large library of reprints which he kept in his home and used to produce and publish regular compendiums of the epilepsy literature. Some of his work, such as that on infantile myasthenia, was important but not widely disseminated because it was published exclusively
2
D.A. Stumpf / Pediatric Neurology 53 (2015) 1e2
FIGURE. Yukio Fukuyama MD (1928-2014), wearing his American Neurological Association tie. (The color version of this figure is available in the online edition.) Reprinted with permission.1
in Japanese. Translating some of the more important insights would undoubtedly be useful. Fukuyama was a great organizer. His success reflected his ability to work collaboratively with diverse sets of colleagues. He traveled extensively to meet with them and attend their meetings. He had an extensive network of support within Japan, including foundations, industry, and his long-time colleague Mayasa Segawa. This permitted him to invite colleagues from around the world to Japan, typically featuring them at JSCN meetings. The associated social gatherings, intimate discussions in his conference room at Tokyo Women’s Medical College, and occasional visits to his home created trust and social bonds that served as catalysts for professional initiatives. He was the driving force in establishing the Asian and Oceanian Child Neurology
Association. He was a key liaison to link Asian colleagues to the International Child Neurology Society (ICNA) and would then serve as its fourth president. A priority for him during his ICNA presidency was to engage and recruit American colleagues. The Child Neurology Society had, up until 1985, been inwardly focused. Fukuyama’s visits to the Child Neurology Society meetings were well received and instrumental in expanding the participation of Americans in ICNA. Fukuyama was honored in many ways.5 He was the Honorary Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the JSCN from 1993 until his death. He was Honorary President of the Asian and Oceanian Child Neurology Association from 1992. He was elected to honorary memberships in numerous prestigious societies throughout the world: American Academy of Neurology, American Neurological Association, Canadian Child Neurology Society, Child Neurology Society, European Paediatric Neurology Society, International Child Neurology Association, Japan Epilepsy Society, Japan Pediatric Society, Japanese Society of Neurology, Japanese Society of Clinical Neurophysiology, Japanese Society of Human Genetics, Japan Teratology Society, and the Philippine Child Neurology Society. On his retirement, he was feted at a grand party at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo attended by numerous colleagues from around the world and senior Japanese academic, government and industry leaders. Yukio Fukuyama enjoyed his dogs, stamp collecting and, with his wife, playing matchmaker to more than 100 marriages of his trainees. He left many of us with fond recollections of Japan, its culture, and many fine colleagues there. He was a kind, gentle friend who left us a rich legacy. Prof. Makiko Osawa provided helpful background information. Portions of this article appeared previously in the cited references.
References 1. Fukuyama Y. Founders of child neurology in Japan e Yukio Fukuyama. Brain Dev. 2004;26:1-4. 2. De Bary WT. Chapter 29: Dutch Learning. In: Sources of Japanese tradition. vol. 2. 1600 to 2000. New York, NY: Columbia University Press; 2013. 3. Aarli JA. The History of the World Federation of Neurology. First 50 years of WFN. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press; 2014:17. 4. Shigehiko K: Yukio Fukuyama. The Founders of Child Neurology. In: Ashwal Stephen, ed. San Francisco: Norman Publishing; 1990: 726-731. 5. Osawa M: Yukio Fukuyama. ICNAPedia. Available at: http://www. icnapedia.org/explore/articles/news/entry/2014/07/21/yukio-fukuyama. Accessed: Aug 29, 2014.
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Pediatric Neurology journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/pnu
Obituary
Professor Yukio Fukuyama (福山幸夫教授) David A. Stumpf MD, PhD * Professor Emeritus, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
Professor Yukio Fukuyama (Figure), an excellent clinician, accomplished scientist, prolific organizer, respected mentor, and exemplary leader died at his home in Tokyo on July 17, 2014. He was Emeritus Professor of Neurology at Tokyo Women’s Medical College and the Director of the Child Neurology Institute. He is survived by his wife, Madam Ayako Fukuyama. His accolades were earned over nearly 60 years from the dawn of modern pediatric neurology. His were unique and independent contributions that marked a proud and distinctive heritage for his beloved country. Yukio Fukuyama was born May 28, 1928, in the still remote mountainous town of Takachiho on the far western Japanese island of Kyushu. He was raised in nearby Kumamoto, describing his youth as deprived of the cultural influences of the outside world because of the hardships of World War II.1 This context had a history to which he was destined to contribute. The Dutch first introduced Western medicine into Japan in the seventeenth century when the Tokugawas ruled and sakoku (鎖国; closed country) policy prevailed.2 The Meiji Restoration, beginning in 1864, accelerated adoption of external influences. Fukuyama’s predecessors, including his mentor, Professor Shigeo Okinaka, were trained in Europe, primarily in Germany. After World War II, this one-way street became bidirectional as the Japanese became active contributors on the world stage. Okinaka initiated the planning for the Asian and Oceanian Association of Neurology in 1961 and was a founding Vice President of the World Federation of Neurology,3 achievements that influenced his mentee. Fukuyama was in the first generation entirely trained in westernized medicine within Japan. He was admitted to the prestigious University of Tokyo, completing his medical Article History: Received October 14, 2014; Accepted in final form January 22, 2015 * Communications should be addressed to: Dr. Stumpf; Woodstock Health Information & Technology; 1101 Alpine La; Woodstock, IL 600989726. E-mail address: [email protected] 0887-8994/$ e see front matter Ó 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2015.01.015
studies in 1952. He remained on the faculty after completing pediatric training. His chairman, Professor Tadao Takatsu (1910-1974), promoted subspecialties and named Fukuyama as the lead in pediatric neurology from 1953. By 1960, the group had grown to 10. In 1961, Takatsu convened a national meeting during which the Japanese Society of Child Neurology (JSCN; 日本小児神経学会) was founded with “seven samurai warriors” supporting Takatsu as president. Foremost was Fukuyama, who ran the secretariat from the University of Tokyo. The others were Board members: Masataka Arima (有馬正高), Shunsuke Ohtawara (大田原俊輔), Nakahei Ono (小野中平), Shunzo Konishi (小西 俊造), Tamotsu Terawaki (寺脇保), and Norimitsu Yoshikura (吉 倉 範 光). In 1968, Fukuyama became Chairman of the Board of JSCN, a position he would hold until 1993. He was tohattatsu (脳 the founding editor of the society’s journal No と発達), which later also appeared in English as Brain and Development. Fukuyama was a consummate academic. He trained more than 300 physicians, guided more than 100 doctoral dissertations, and wrote more than 600 original articles. His scientific contributions were broad but particularly focused and important in myology and epilepsy.4 His clinical descriptions delineated new distinct conditions and were generally followed by research studies exploring their basic mechanisms. His description of congenital muscular dystrophy was followed by a series of articles and collaborations leading to the identification of the FKTN gene, its protein product (fukutin), and potential therapies. Fukuyama dystrophy is the most common in Japanese children. He was a leader in the international epilepsy community. He published on his large cohorts of patients with infantile spasms, taking exception to the large doses of adrenocorticotropic hormone used in other countries. His patients responded to much lower doses, which avoided many adrenocorticotropic hormone adverse effects. He read extensively, collecting a large library of reprints which he kept in his home and used to produce and publish regular compendiums of the epilepsy literature. Some of his work, such as that on infantile myasthenia, was important but not widely disseminated because it was published exclusively
2
D.A. Stumpf / Pediatric Neurology 53 (2015) 1e2
FIGURE. Yukio Fukuyama MD (1928-2014), wearing his American Neurological Association tie. (The color version of this figure is available in the online edition.) Reprinted with permission.1
in Japanese. Translating some of the more important insights would undoubtedly be useful. Fukuyama was a great organizer. His success reflected his ability to work collaboratively with diverse sets of colleagues. He traveled extensively to meet with them and attend their meetings. He had an extensive network of support within Japan, including foundations, industry, and his long-time colleague Mayasa Segawa. This permitted him to invite colleagues from around the world to Japan, typically featuring them at JSCN meetings. The associated social gatherings, intimate discussions in his conference room at Tokyo Women’s Medical College, and occasional visits to his home created trust and social bonds that served as catalysts for professional initiatives. He was the driving force in establishing the Asian and Oceanian Child Neurology
Association. He was a key liaison to link Asian colleagues to the International Child Neurology Society (ICNA) and would then serve as its fourth president. A priority for him during his ICNA presidency was to engage and recruit American colleagues. The Child Neurology Society had, up until 1985, been inwardly focused. Fukuyama’s visits to the Child Neurology Society meetings were well received and instrumental in expanding the participation of Americans in ICNA. Fukuyama was honored in many ways.5 He was the Honorary Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the JSCN from 1993 until his death. He was Honorary President of the Asian and Oceanian Child Neurology Association from 1992. He was elected to honorary memberships in numerous prestigious societies throughout the world: American Academy of Neurology, American Neurological Association, Canadian Child Neurology Society, Child Neurology Society, European Paediatric Neurology Society, International Child Neurology Association, Japan Epilepsy Society, Japan Pediatric Society, Japanese Society of Neurology, Japanese Society of Clinical Neurophysiology, Japanese Society of Human Genetics, Japan Teratology Society, and the Philippine Child Neurology Society. On his retirement, he was feted at a grand party at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo attended by numerous colleagues from around the world and senior Japanese academic, government and industry leaders. Yukio Fukuyama enjoyed his dogs, stamp collecting and, with his wife, playing matchmaker to more than 100 marriages of his trainees. He left many of us with fond recollections of Japan, its culture, and many fine colleagues there. He was a kind, gentle friend who left us a rich legacy. Prof. Makiko Osawa provided helpful background information. Portions of this article appeared previously in the cited references.
References 1. Fukuyama Y. Founders of child neurology in Japan e Yukio Fukuyama. Brain Dev. 2004;26:1-4. 2. De Bary WT. Chapter 29: Dutch Learning. In: Sources of Japanese tradition. vol. 2. 1600 to 2000. New York, NY: Columbia University Press; 2013. 3. Aarli JA. The History of the World Federation of Neurology. First 50 years of WFN. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press; 2014:17. 4. Shigehiko K: Yukio Fukuyama. The Founders of Child Neurology. In: Ashwal Stephen, ed. San Francisco: Norman Publishing; 1990: 726-731. 5. Osawa M: Yukio Fukuyama. ICNAPedia. Available at: http://www. icnapedia.org/explore/articles/news/entry/2014/07/21/yukio-fukuyama. Accessed: Aug 29, 2014.