In Memoriam ’24] After the “War of Health and Virtue,” Torao Tokuda became a politician and pushed forward “by force” for the “future of medicine.

In ’24, many prominent figures sadly departed as well. We look back on the activities of the past and remember the deceased, based on the articles and other information we have published in the past.

The “Houtoku War,” which split the island in two and sent wads of money flying

On July 10, Torao Tokuda, a politician and founder of one of Japan’s largest medical corporations, Tokushukai, passed away at a hospital in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, at the age of 86. He developed amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in 2002 and had been battling the disease ever since.

Mr. Tokuda was born in 1938 on Tokunoshima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture. He aspired to become a doctor when he was in the third grade of elementary school after his younger brother died while suffering from abdominal pain and was not seen by a doctor. He graduated from Osaka University School of Medicine and opened “Tokuda Hospital” (now Matsubara Tokushukai Hospital) in Matsubara, Osaka in 1973.

Tokuda Hospital had a revolutionary treatment policy at the time: “Open 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, without insurance card. This policy was well received by local residents, and when the hospital’s management took off, Tokuda established Tokushukai Medical Corporation in 1975. The company went on to open a succession of hospitals and clinics throughout Japan.

However, the overly aggressive construction of hospitals caused friction with local medical associations in many areas. It was during this time that Mr. Tokuda realized the importance of politics. Aiming to become a politician, he ran for the House of Representatives in ’83 and ’86 from the Amami Islands district (now incorporated into Kagoshima’s 2nd district), which included his hometown of Tokunoshima.

The Amami Islands constituency was the only single-seat constituency under the then single-seat constituency system. The incumbent candidate, Koji Yasuoka, was a bigwig in the Tanaka faction of the Liberal Democratic Party, and the election was a fierce battle that divided the islanders in two. The election was dubbed the “Hotoku War” and drew nationwide attention, as wads of money were flown and arrests were made one after another for election violations.

This magazine also covered the situation on the ground during the ’86 election (July 18, 1986 issue). At a key location in a town on Amami Oshima Island, both camps, fearing a ground-cutting maneuver, had set up all-night watchtowers. Whenever they found a suspicious vehicle believed to be belonging to the opposition, they would pursue it with their cars, making the situation look as if it were under martial law. And the island was literally in a state of festivity with wads of cash flying around.

Although he was unsuccessful in the ’83 and ’86 elections, Mr. Tokuda was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in 1990. Since then, he has served a total of four terms in the House of Representatives.

In politics, he was distanced from the Liberal Democratic Party, which had close ties to the Japan Medical Association, so he launched the Liberty Alliance. Tokuda became a politician to fight against the old structure of the medical industry, but he had no policies or proposals for the healthcare system. However, some criticize that what should have been a “means” to build hospitals and eliminate underpopulated areas, and to keep winning elections to do so, has become an “objective.

A “honeymoon” with Shintaro Ishihara

He was close to politicians such as Shintaro Ishihara and Shizuka Kamei. Before the Tokyo gubernatorial election in April 1999, this magazine caught Ms. Tokuda and Mr. Ishihara in a secret meeting (March 26, 1999 issue).

At the time, Mr. Ishihara was considered a “major contender” but had not yet announced his candidacy. On March 10, the night before he finally announced his candidacy, the two met at a hotel in Tokyo. The timing of this “secret meeting” led some to speculate that Mr. Tokuda, who had been a close friend of Mr. Ishihara’s for some time, had become his campaign sponsor. When this magazine directly contacted Mr. Tokuda, the following answer was given.

Mr. Ishihara insisted that I speak with him before the press conference, so I changed my plans and flew in from Amami Oshima on short notice. Today we talked about the issues of medical care and the elderly in Tokyo. I have mixed feelings about this election for governor of Tokyo, as I am also acquainted with Mr. Yoichi Masuzoe, Mr. Koji Kakizawa, and Mr. Kunio Hatoyama. Helping Mr. Ishihara’s fund? Mr. Ishihara is a celebrity, so putting up posters and holding a microphone should be enough. He doesn’t need any sponsors, and my kitchen is on fire.

Mr. Tokuda denied that he was a sponsor, but the election results showed a resounding victory for Mr. Ishihara. The result of the election was a resounding victory for Mr. Ishihara and the birth of Governor Ishihara.

He went ahead by any means necessary.

Mr. Tokuda retired from politics in 2005 due to ALS. However, he remained involved in hospital management as the head of the Tokushukai Group for a long time after that. It seems that Mr. Tokuda, who was no longer able to speak, used a dial on his hospital bed to give various instructions by the movement of his eyes. He was also involved in the election campaign of his second son, who inherited the groundwork. In the “Tokushukai Incident” of ’13, which was triggered by the accusations of the Tokushukai Secretary General who was expelled from the group, he was found in violation of the Election Administration Law, but was not prosecuted because of his incurable disease.

In response to this incident, Mr. Tokuda resigned his position as chairman of Tokushukai Medical Corporation and other positions in October ’13. The following month, however, he came under criticism for assuming the position of president of six affiliated companies.

When Mr. Tokuda first opened his first hospital, he was committed to his ideals with strong conviction, staying overnight to work day after day. On the other hand, however, there was also a part of him that would not choose any means to achieve his ideals. However, many of the Tokushukai hospitals that Mr. Tokuda left behind, which are “open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,” are now playing a central role in community healthcare, even as the collapse of healthcare is being called for.

May he rest in peace──and may he rest in peace.