In 1859, the Swiss Henry Dunant encountered the battle between the Austrian army and Sardinian and French coalition forces near Solferino in northern Italy. He was witness to the aftermath of the battlefield, stating “Wounded soldiers without weapons are no longer soldiers. Regardless of enemies and allies, they ought to be saved as individual human beings”. In cooperation with nearby residents, he tirelessly aided wounded soldiers. This inspired the creation of the Red Cross.

During Japan’s Seinan Senso (Southwestern War), which involved a rebellion led by Takamori Saigou of the Satsuma Domain against the Meiji government, Sano Tsunetami and Ogyu Yuzuru established the ‘Hakuaisha’ (later the ‘Japanese Red Cross Society’) based on their knowledge of the Red Cross Society from the World Exhibition in Paris. They aided the wounded regardless of whether they were enemies or allies.

Japanese Red Cross Society, First President, Sano Tsunetami(1822-1902)
Japanese Red Cross Academy of Nursing and its affiliated colleges follow the humanitarian principles of the Red Cross “regardless of enemies or allies” and “cherish human life and dignity.” We aim to develop human resources who aspire to protect human life and health as future nurses and care providers. We provide them the advanced nursing and care provider education required to obtain the certificates they aim for.

Japanese Red Cross Academy of Nursing and its affiliated colleges expect our future alumni, in the spirit of the Red Cross, to take an active part in protecting human life and dignity in large-scale disasters and disputes regardless of nationality, as well as faithfully carry out their mission as nurses and care providers.

Therefore our curriculum includes not only the techniques and knowledge required for nurse and care provider certificates, but also fundamental knowledge of the Red Cross and international humanitarian law, as well as the skills and techniques of disaster nursing and international health.