the 30th Anniversary of Mizutani Foundation for Glycoscience

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First Phase: I am writing this in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the Mizutani Foundation for Glycoscience (herewith referred to as the Foundation). However, when I refer to my relationship with the Foundation, I feel I must go back not only just 30 years but further back to 50 years ago when the Foundation had not even been started yet, although I am fully aware that this is an illogical argument. I left Japan in June of 1960 in order to receive training in clinical neurology as a resident at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York. The first chance when I could return to Japan was in 1973, for the 4th International Neurochemistry meeting in Tokyo. During my absence of 13 years, there were the Olympic Games in Tokyo, the Shinkansen started to run between Tokyo and Osaka, and Tokyo had developed networks of highways which did not exist when I left in 1960. I remember very well that I was completely lost, when I stood in the middle of streets of Shibuya, which was my “territory” as a university student. It was during that meeting when I first met Mr. Masakane Mizutani, who was the founder of the Mizutani Seikagaku Corpration. I still clearly remember what he told me at that time. “It is about time that you should come back to Japan.” After that first meeting, I had occasions to meet Mr. Mizutani at meetings which I attended from time to time after that first encounter with Mr. Mizutani. Every time he kept telling me that I should return to Japan. This early series of contacts with Mr. Masakane Mizutani were strictly personal. Nevertheless, I feel strongly that these experiences were the first phase of my relationship with the Foundation.10Kunihiko Suzuki Board of Directors Messagethe Mizutani Foundation for GlycoscienceMy associaton with Member, the Japan AcademyProfessor Emeritus, Neurology and PsychiatryUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USADirector Emeritus, Neuroscience Center