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Memorial trees being planted by President Kajiyama (center), Dr. Nakano (right), and former President Dr.Sugioka (left)	Dr. Nakano giving a speech at the Opening Ceremony
President Kajiyama at the Opening Ceremony	The rubber bearing (picture above, front) bends if an earthquake hits to minimize the vibration of the ground.The steel damper (behind) and lead damper (picture left) settle the vibration gently and quickly.

my respects to all the staff of the hospital. The catchphrase of this hospital is 'supporting hospital.' I hope we can provide good education, research and medical care to society." After the ceremony, President Kajiyama, Dr. Nakano and former President Dr. Sugioka planted memorial trees in front of the Hospital. This new hospital building, which is called South Building, has been built with an earthquake absorbing structure able to withstand magnitudes as large as the Great Hanshin- Awaji Earthquake. The building consists of operating rooms, central treatment facilities, and 620 beds for surgical patients. The number of operating rooms has increased from 17 to 20 and the hospital staff is expecting to conduct about 7,500 operations per year, which used to be 5,000 in the old facility. The sizes of the new rooms for 4 patients are as large as the former 6 patient rooms. The departments of the hospital have also been reorganized and their names changed in a way clearly understandable by patients. Following this 1st construction, the 2nd construction of medical wards for internal disease patients and the 3rd construction for outpatients will start soon. At the end of fiscal year 2006, all the construction will be complete and the University Hospital will be fully open.

Integration of university hospitals Kyushu University has three university hospitals. They are University Hospital, University Dental Hospital, and Hospital of the Medical Institute of Bioregulation. On February 19, 2002, the University Council decided to integrate University Hospital and University Dental Hospital, and to submit a budget request for the integration in fiscal year 2003. The other hospital, Hospital of Medical Institute of Bioregulation, which is located in Beppu, Oita Prefecture, will also be integrated in the future. At the press briefing, Dr. Minoru Nakata, Director of the University Dental Hospital and Chief of the hospitals integration committee said, "This integration will enable the hospitals to provide, as a place where people can improve their health, complete treatment ranging from care to high technology treatment, in addition to education and research without compartmentalization.” If the request is accepted, a new hospital will be formed in October 2003.