Dr. Tomisaku Kawasaki passed away at 95 years old on June 5, 2020. 　As I had mentions and the letters of the memory in remembrance of Dr. Kawasaki from six deep relations with him in Teikyo University Asia International Institute of Infectious Disease Control, I would like to publish them below. The Washington Post said Achievement of Dr. Tomisaku Kawasaki and his death on June 14, 2020.

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Novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 disease (COVID-19) has been spreading worldwide after the outbreak in Wuhan, China since December in 2019, and it caused pandemic. As of 15th, June in 2020, in Southeast Asia, the infection of 334 people and none of the death in Vietnam, and in East Asia, 17,439 people were infected and the death of 929 in Japan. In Tokyo, 5,619 (32.2% of all Japan) and 316 people have been infected and dead by COVID-19, respectively. We focused on infection of the virus in Tokyo's 23 wards in Tokyo metropolitan area from April 6th to June 14th. The peak of the infection in the 23 wards of Tokyo was confirmed in the third week in April in 2020, and then the number of the coronavirus infections decreased. The 23 wards can be separated clearly such as Zone 1, 2 and 3 by infectious incidence: Zone 1 downtown, Zone 2 inside of JR-Yamanote Line, and Zone 3 residential areas. The infection was markedly higher in Minato-ku and Sinjuku-ku, at the downtown of Tokyo. On the other hand, the number of infections were higher among young generation and lower among elder generation in the fourth week in April, hereafter the profile has been changed as elder aged infections increased in a V-shaped curve. The initial increase of male infected with the virus in April was due to infection of business commuters of 20s to 70s. After the Tokyo Metropolitan Government declared a state of emergency, the number of people infected decreased, being different for each ward in Tokyo. When bars and clubs were closed, the number of the infected people in Minato-ku at downtown and residential areas was decreased. These results suggest that working persons infected with the novel coronavirus spread the virus at home and social area. Therefore, social distance is required for protection of the infection spreading.

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　Vietnam is one of the countries which are assumed to have successful management in COVID-19 outbreak. Swift, proactive, decisive approach of government is believed the most important thing to obtain this achievement. In addition, multiple measurements are implemented, such as: track, trace and quarantine; transparent information and social solidarity. Northern Vietnam (Hanoi) is the most popular in all country with approximately 1/2 confirmed cases. This article summarizes which solutions have been applied in northern Vietnam (Hanoi) until now.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has become a global health crisis. Many countries are still suffered from this unprecedented outbreak whereas Vietnam overcomes it and tries to connect to other countries for economic development. This report highlights key measures that Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) applied to control the COVID-19 outbreak. The national strategies were promptly and clearly stated by the Government, including preventing imported cases, early detecting new possible cases and their contacts, isolating confirmed cases and their first contacts, identifying areas affected by COVID-19 and rapidly performing interventions for the outbreak control. From these strategies, tracking, testing and treating were implemented as the three main groups of activities to control the outbreak in HCMC. Moreover, the existing healthcare structure, support from non-healthcare organizations and citizens, self production of COVID-19 test kits and effective treatment of severe cases were the key factors contributing the successful story of Vietnam.

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I was dispatched to visit Hanoi, Vietnam in October, 2019 to seek new recruits to our newly established Japanese Language School affiliated with Teikyo Heisei University. Hanoi that holds a mixture of both developing and developed aspects was an ever-growing city than expected. 　The candidates who received written and interview tests showed favorable outcomes and seemed competent in continuing studies in Japan. After graduation from the university they can sustainably contribute to the fundamentals in Japanese society and culture. Vietnamese people are truly polite and tender and showed us warm hospitality. I hope more and more Vietnamese students come to our Japanese Language School and matriculate in Teikyo University group thereafter. Vietnam has obtained a marvelous reputation in confining the new coronavirus infection because affected patients only show as low as 340 and no death has not been reported so far. The exceedingly early action of inhibiting entry from foreign countries and of confinement of the city until safe both resulted in a great success as an ant-corona strategy. Vietnam can teach us many things to mimic and can become a reliable partner to pursue SDGs together for many years to come.

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　I started research in Teikyo University soon after graduation of doctor course in University of Tokyo and continued research at the same laboratory for more than 30 years. The first research theme given by my supervisor, Prof. Nojima was to make antibody specific for PAF, potent mediator of inflammation and allergy, in order to use for immunochemical detection and quantitation of PAF. I succeeded in preparing antibody to PAF, but it was difficult to establish the method to apply this antibody to immunological detection of PAF. The reason was that rapid enzymatic hydrolysis of acetyl group from PAF interfered immunochemical reaction. These problems prompted me to examine PAF-acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH) which degrades acetyl ester of PAF. I purified plasmatype PAF-AH from serum, determined partial amino-acid sequences and obtained cDNA clone by screening a cDNA library using a probe prepared by PCR reaction. After cDNA cloning of plasmatype PAF-AH, I researched transacetylation reaction in which acetyl group of PAF is transferred to sphingosine, in ORAU, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA from 1997-1998. This transacetylation reaction was catalyzed by PAF-AH II, another subtype of PAF-AHs. After returning to Teikyo University again, I continued study about PAF-AH under the supervision of Prof. Inoue. I demonstrated that erythrocyte PAF-AH mainly included catalytic subunit, α1, which was not expressed in adult organisms. I moved to Itabashi campus with other researchers of pharma-sciences in Mar 2012. I was deeply impressed by the environment rich in excellent many researchers and analytical equipment. I am hoping this introduction of my research interests the researchers in Teikyo Itabashi campus.

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Fatty acid remodeling systems for glycerophospholipids including acyl-CoA:lysophospholipid acyltransferases, and CoA-dependent or CoA-independent transacylation reactions are involved in the biosynthesis of the molecular species with different fatty acyl moieties and incorporation of arachidonic acid into phospholipids. Although various kind of acyltransferases have been cloned and characterized, the molecular mechanism of CoA-dependent or CoA-independent transacylation reactions has not been elucidated yet. In this article, recent progresses in acyltransferase research including the identification of the enzyme’s genes are described. In addition, the mechanisms of CoA-dependent or independent transacylation reactions are discussed. I also refer to the biosynthesis of arachidonic acid-containing lipid mediators during the processes of fatty acid remodeling of phospholipids.

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