Hirosaki General Medical Center

Hirosaki General Medical Center (国立病院機構弘前総合医療センター) is a public hospital in Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, Japan, operated by the National Hospital Organization (独立行政法人国立病院機構), an independent administrative agency. Its institutional lineage dates to 1897, when it was founded as the Hirosaki Garrison Hospital (弘前衛戍病院); it later became Hirosaki Army Hospital, then National Hirosaki Hospital after World War II, and was renamed Hirosaki Hospital of the National Hospital Organization in 2004. The present Hirosaki General Medical Center opened on April 1, 2022, following integration with Hirosaki Municipal Hospital, which closed on March 31, 2022. The center functions as the core acute-care hospital for the region, providing high-quality specialized care and serving as a key hub for regional medical coordination. According to its official guide, it operates 25 clinical departments, including respiratory medicine, gastroenterology and hematology, cardiology, neurology, diabetes and endocrinology, respiratory surgery, gastroenterology surgery, neurosurgery, breast surgery, orthopedics, plastic surgery, psychiatry, pediatrics, dermatology, urology, obstetrics and gynecology, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, rehabilitation, radiology, pathology, clinical laboratory medicine, emergency medicine, oral and maxillofacial surgery, and anesthesiology. It runs an emergency medical center handling secondary emergency cases, with nighttime internal medicine, surgery, and pediatrics rotations, and it is designated as a regional disaster base hospital with a DMAT team. Its policy-medicine specialties include cancer, perinatal and pediatric care, and HIV/AIDS, and it is designated as a regional perinatal maternal and child medical center and an AIDS treatment base hospital. It also handles respiratory diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, and liver diseases. The hospital provides advanced perinatal care including a GCU, comprehensive cancer treatment combining medical, surgical, and radiation therapy, second-opinion outpatient services, and clinical education and training, including an affiliated nursing school. Its stated philosophy is to respect life and human rights and provide high-quality, appropriate medical care, aiming to be trusted by the community as "our hospital."

The institution's history begins on August 23, 1897, when it was established as Hirosaki Garrison Hospital (弘前衛戍病院). On November 10, 1936, it became Hirosaki Army Hospital (弘前陸軍病院). After World War II, on December 1, 1945, the army hospital was transferred from the Army Ministry through the Ministry of Finance to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and National Hirosaki Hospital (国立弘前病院) was established. On August 11, 1947, Emperor Showa toured the hospital during his postwar tour of the country, visiting wards, comforting patients, and addressing wounded soldiers. In April 1953, an affiliated nursing school was established. On January 6, 2001, the hospital was transferred to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. On April 1, 2004, with the establishment of the National Hospital Organization as an independent administrative agency, the hospital was renamed to its current form (then Hirosaki Hospital of the National Hospital Organization). On October 18, 2011, a new hospital building came into use. In October 2018, the hospital announced plans to integrate with Hirosaki Municipal Hospital, with the integration scheduled to begin in 2022. On February 21, 2020, the name "National Hospital Organization Hirosaki General Medical Center" was announced. On January 21, 2022, it was reported that the hospital would be designated as an Aomori Prefecture disaster base hospital and would have a Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT). On April 1, 2022, Hirosaki General Medical Center opened, following the closure of Hirosaki Municipal Hospital on March 31, 2022. Since its opening, the center has served as the region's core medical institution, providing high-quality specialized care centered on acute care and acting as a key hub for regional medical coordination. Its director as of April 1, 2026 (Reiwa 8) is Kenichi Hakamada, who stated that the hospital will continue to strengthen its secondary emergency medical system, enhance advanced specialized care, and invest in human resource development to protect the lives and health of the community.

• Founded as Hirosaki Garrison Hospital (弘前衛戍病院).

• Became Hirosaki Army Hospital (弘前陸軍病院).

• Transferred to the Ministry of Health and Welfare; National Hirosaki Hospital established.

• Emperor Showa visited the hospital during his postwar tour.

• Affiliated nursing school established.

• Transferred to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

• Renamed with the establishment of the National Hospital Organization.

• New hospital building began use.

• Announced integration with Hirosaki Municipal Hospital, planned for 2022.

• Name "National Hospital Organization Hirosaki General Medical Center" announced.

• Reported designation as Aomori Prefecture disaster base hospital with DMAT.

• Hirosaki Municipal Hospital closed.

• Hirosaki General Medical Center opened.

Regional core acute-care hospital and policy-medicine hub for cancer, perinatal/pediatric care, and HIV/AIDS in the Tsugaru region.

• Emergency Medical Center

  Provides efficient secondary emergency care; handles nighttime internal medicine, surgery, and pediatrics rotations.

• Regional Perinatal Maternal and Child Medical Center

  Provides advanced perinatal care including GCU, and pediatric/maternal emergency care.

• Cancer treatment

  Combines medical, surgical, and radiation therapy with close interdepartmental collaboration; offers second-opinion outpatient services.

• AIDS Treatment Base Hospital

  Designated to provide specialized HIV/AIDS care.

• Clinical education and training

  Provides initial and advanced residency training; operates an affiliated nursing school.

1. 1独立行政法人国立病院機構 弘前総合医療センターhirosaki.hosp.go.jp
2. 2病院のご案内 - 独立行政法人国立病院機構 弘前総合医療センターhirosaki.hosp.go.jp
3. 3ベストドクター - 独立行政法人国立病院機構 弘前総合医療センターhirosaki.hosp.go.jp
4. 4国立病院機構弘前総合医療センター - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org
5. 5Hirosaki General Medical Center - Wikidatawikidata.org