The National Cardiovascular Center (NCVC) founded in 1977 celebrated its 30th anniversary last year. Then, this year is the beginning of the next new decade for NCVC. The NCVC is composed of the Administration Department , the Hospital and the Research Institute and functions as a highly advanced and specialized medical center under the supervision of the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

The number of patient beds is 640 including 471 in general wards and 169 in special wards (ICU, CCU, SCU, NCU, Pediatrics, Perinatology and Emergency). The number of staff members is about 966, including 137 doctors, 153 pharmacists, technicians and others, 548 nurses, 32 senior residents and 96 residents. Total number of inpatients is about 196 thousand per year, and outpatients is about 700 per day.

The Hospital deals with cardiovascular diseases and related disorders, including heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, hypertension and renal disease as well as atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus and obesity as risk factors of cardiovascular disease. All staff doctors are engaged in the studies of etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of these diseases. The NCVC is one of the National Medical Centers which take a prominent academic lead in the field of clinical medicine and medical research in Japan.

The NCVC, also as a training hospital, plays an important role in providing postgraduate training of doctors, nurses and co-medical staff members specializing in the care of cardiovascular diseases. The residency program was brought into effect in 1978, which adopts 35 residents per year to give them clinical training and related research in various field of cardiovascular medicine. Over 1000 doctors including current residents have taken this 3-year program to this date. In 1992, 2-year senior resident program was started which follows the 3-year residency. The number of senior resident doctors is 10 per year. Doctors who graduated these programs work at various hospitals all over Japan, playing a key role in supporting and developing clinical medicine of cardiovascular diseases.

In addition, 570 doctors from 51 foreign countries have been accepted as trainees since the Center was founded, contributing greatly to the international scope of medical cooperation.