Jichi Medical University is a private university in Shimotsuke, Tochigi, Japan, established in 1972. In 2008 the Gates Foundation awarded $100,000 to Hiroyuki Matsuoka, a medical researcher at the university, to do research on flying syringes One of the long term goals at Jichi Medical University is to contribute to the welfare of human beings by advancing studies in both medicine and nursing. Therefore, Jichi Medical University established international relationship programs to help promote community medicine both in and outside Asia.