December 2009

Chair Watanabe Visits Mongolia for Launch of Nursing Education Program

Rev. Yasutaka Watanabe, chair of Rissho Kosei-kai's board of trustees, visited the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar on December 22 for a signing ceremony to inaugurate a joint nursing education program conducted by the Health Sciences University of Mongolia (HSUM) and Kosei Nursing School. Also taking part in the signing ceremony were Rev. Yoshio Jinbo, president of Kosei Nursing School; Mr. Yondon Otgonbayar, Mongolia's minister of education, culture and science; and HSUM President Tserenkhuu Lkhagvasuren.

Rissho Kosei-kai agreed to accept three HSUM students annually for three years of study at Kosei Nursing School and up to five years of internship at Kosei General Hospital. Afterward the HSUM students will return to Mongolia to train more nurses.

The program originated with a request by then-Mongolian President Nambaryn Enkhbayar when Rev. Norio Sakai, a former chair and now an emeritus member of Rissho Kosei-kai's board of trustees, visited Mongolia in June 2009 and discussed with Mr. Enkhbayar the possibility of fostering human resources and cultural exchanges between Mongolia and Rissho Kosei-kai.

On December 23, Rev. Watanabe visited Mongolia's house of parliament and met with Mr. Dorligjav Dambii, the Mongolian president's chief of staff. Rev. Watanabe explained the program to him and reported on the signing ceremony. Mr. Dambii said the cordial relationship between Mongolia and Japan had strengthened in the past 20 years. He expressed hope for the program's success, saying the two countries' cordial relationship was crucial not only for cooperation between their governments but also between the two countries' private sectors.

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