We, as ophthalmologists recognized the potential of neural stem cells as basis for treating incurable retinal diseases in the mid 1990s.

But to treat a large number of patients, we needed stem cells that can grow rapidly, so we shifted to ES cell research.

However, compared to other organs, there are few researchers working on the retina, so I thought that I could not wait for someone else to create a retina from ES cells and had to do it myself. Then I moved to RIKEN, a Mecca for basic research, in 2006.

At that time, iPS cells were invented and that made me surprised.

This cleared the last challenge of immune rejection and was a major step forward.

The retina would be the first application of iPS cells I said in an interview in 2014.

This is the start. I went back to my roots and started working on a treatment.

Today, I have created a company as the final step to treat many people, and I am now in the process of creating cells for clinical use with the help of the CiRA Foundation.

I have spent 25 years of excitement every day and looking back it has been a happy time.

Now I would like to take the last steps to the project for the creation of new treatments.

I look forward to working with you.