Born in Kagawa prefecture in 1937, Yoichi Kawada graduated from the University of Kyoto in 1962 and received his Ph.D. in immunology in 1968. He is also a recognized authority in Buddhist history and philosophy, bringing the insights of Buddhism to bear on contemporary issues of bioethics, medical and clinical practice. In 1988, Kawada was appointed director of the institute.

Kawada has published over 13 books related to Buddhism, Medicine and Oriental Philosophy. In a recent book, Seimei wa eien ka--sei mo kanki, shi mo kanki (Transl.: Is Life Eternal? Joy in Life and Joy in Death, 2001), Kawada elucidates Buddhist theories on the eternal continuity of life, exploring such issues as terminal care and death with dignity. [See below for book list.*]

As director of the Institute of Oriental Philosophy, Kawada oversees the institute's wide-ranging research programs into the intersection of East Asian philosophical outlooks and contemporary global issues such as human rights, environmental protection and bioethics.

Kawada has spoken and lectured at many conferences worldwide, including the European Academy of Sciences and Arts-sponsored "Dialogue Among Four Great Religions" Conference, the American Psychological Association (APA) Convention, and the Institute of World Religions of the Chinese Academy of Social, among others.

Papers include:

• "From Inner Peace to Eco-Peace" (June 6 to 8, 1997, Interdisciplinary Conference on the Evolution of World Order, Toronto, Canada

• The Institute of Oriental Philosophy: "Nichiren Buddhism and Empowerment" (August 26, 1999, at the American Psychological Association Convention, Boston, USA)

• "Redemption in Mahayana-Buddhism with Special Consideration of the Lotus Sutra" (Inter-religious Dialogues--Christians and Buddhists, Vol. 31, NR XI, MMI (2001), Annals of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts)

• "Dialogue between Buddhism and Christianity--Concluding Discourse" (Inter-religious Dialogues--Christians and Buddhists, Vol. 31, NR XI, MMI (2001), Annals of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts)

• Seimei no shin'en o saguru (Probing the Depths of Life), Tokyo: Daisan Bunmei-sha, 1979.

• Yokubo to seimei (Desires and Life), Tokyo: Daisan Bunmei-sha, 1981.

• Seimei tetsugaku nyumon (An Introduction to Life Philosophy), Tokyo: Daisan Bunmei-sha, 1983.

• Buppo to igaku (Buddhism and Medicine), Tokyo: Daisan Bunmei-sha, 1985.

• Bukkyo igaku monogatari, jo (A Buddhist Approach to Medicine, Part I), Tokyo: Daisan Bunmei-sha, 1987.

• Bukkyo igaku monogatari, ge (A Buddhist Approach to Medicine, Part II), Tokyo: Daisan Bunmei-sha, 1987.

• Chikyu kankyo to bukkyo shiso (The Global Environment and Buddhism), Tokyo: Daisan Bunmei-sha, 1994.

• Buppo ni miru katei kyoiku no chie (Buddhist Wisdom for Education in the Home), Tokyo: Daisan Bunmei-sha, 1995.

• Noshi mondai to bukkyo shiso (The Problem of Brain Death and Buddhism), Tokyo: Daisan Bunmei-sha, 1996.

• Gendai ni ikiru bukkyo (Buddhism in the Contemporary World), Tokyo: Daisan Bunmei-sha, 1997.

• Soka gakkai no mezasu mono (The Soka Gakkai's Objectives), Tokyo: Daisan Bunmei-sha, 1998.

• Seimei wa eien ka--sei mo kanki, shi mo kanki (Is Life Eternal? Joy in Life and Joy in Death), Tokyo: Daisan Bunmei-sha, 2001.

• Dareni demo wakaru eien no seimei (An Introduction to the Eternity of Life), Tokyo: Daisan Bunmei-sha, 2001.