Sapporo Hakuyo-kai Hospital Certified as a “ZEISS Reference Center”

Tokyo, Japan / Oberkochen, Germany | October 27, 2026 | Carl Zeiss Meditec AG

Carl Zeiss Meditec Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and Representative Director: Vincent Mathieu; hereinafter “ZEISS”) is pleased to announce that it has certified Social Medical Corporation Hakuyo-kai Sapporo Hakuyo-kai Hospital (Location: Sapporo, Hokkaido; hereinafter “Sapporo Hakuyo-kai Hospital”) as a “ZEISS Reference Center,” an educational hub for surgical microscopy, and will commence full-scale activities.

As opportunities for open microsurgical procedures are decreasing in today’s clinical environment, the provision of practical educational programs for surgical microscopy has become an urgent issue. The company has established the ZEISS Reference Center with the aim of providing educational opportunities utilizing advanced surgical microscopes such as the KINEVO^® 900 S, thereby contributing to improved surgical skills among young neurosurgeons, enhanced clinical outcomes, and greater patient satisfaction.

Sapporo Hakuyo-kai Hospital is one of Japan’s leading institutions, with more than 500 neurosurgical procedures performed annually. It has an outstanding depth of experience and case concentration, with advanced open microsurgical procedures conducted on a routine basis. The hospital practices sophisticated surgical workflows across a wide range of conditions, from cerebrovascular disorders to brain tumors, and provides an exceptional environment for young surgeons to gain practical, diverse, and continuous learning opportunities.

In addition, the hospital has been an early adopter of advanced digital technologies, including live video communication and AR navigation utilizing “smart OR,” and has focused on advancing technical education. The hospital’s ecosystem, where young physicians gather to learn, and its forward-looking approach to disseminating best practices in surgical microscopy are fully aligned with the philosophy of this Center, which aims to develop the next generation of leaders.

“As a core neurosurgical hospital in Hokkaido, we have consistently strived to provide the highest standard of medical care to the region while focusing on the development of young physicians who will lead the next generation. We regard our certification as a ZEISS Reference Center as recognition of the clinical, educational, and research achievements we have cultivated over many years. Through educational programs that combine state-of-the-art surgical microscopes with our clinical experience, we are confident that young physicians from across Japan will be able to refine their skills, ultimately contributing to the qualitative advancement of neurosurgical care in Japan.”

“We are deeply honored to welcome Sapporo Hakuyo-kai Hospital, a hospital with outstanding clinical achievements and advanced initiatives representing Hokkaido, as a ZEISS Reference Center. Through this partnership, we are confident that we will be able to provide physicians with an exceptional educational environment, and that this will ultimately contribute to the advancement of neurosurgical care in Japan and the improvement of patients’ quality of life.”

As a model facility equipped with ZEISS products, the ZEISS Reference Center will communicate medical standards and best practices to healthcare professionals nationwide through the following activities.

1. On-site Training Program
Product name: Surgical Microscope KINEVO^® 900 S
Marketing notification number in Japan: 13B1X00119003710

Since its founding in 1971 as Kashiwaba Neurosurgical Clinic, Social Medical Corporation Kashiwaba-kai has contributed to the treatment of neurological diseases in the region. In December 2024, the institution relocated to a new hospital and was reborn as Sapporo Hakuyo-kai Hospital.

Under the concept of “connecting people, medicine, and the future,” the hospital is equipped with advanced medical facilities such as “smart ER,” which is directly connected to the latest diagnostic imaging department and provides dedicated elevator access to the Stroke Care Unit (SCU) and operating rooms, and “smart OR,” an information-integrated hybrid operating room that supports advanced cerebrovascular surgery.

As a core Primary Stroke Center (PSC) certified by the Japan Stroke Society, the hospital provides advanced emergency care 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. With 167 beds, it offers comprehensive care ranging from high-quality acute care to recovery-phase rehabilitation, and continues to lead the next generation of neurosurgical medicine.

As a subsidiary of Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Carl Zeiss Meditec Co., Ltd., provides comprehensive solutions that support the diagnosis and treatment of ophthalmic diseases, as well as innovative visualization solutions in the field of microsurgery. Carl Zeiss Meditec Co., Ltd., supports healthcare professionals through a wide range of applications based on medical technology and innovation.

Corporate website: https://www.zeiss.co.jp/meditec/home.html

The Center will conduct facility tours, lectures, and surgical observations using the KINEVO 900 S for young physicians from nearby areas and across Japan. The first “Surgical Observation and Information Exchange Meeting,” where participants will have the opportunity to learn advanced open microsurgical techniques directly from experienced surgeons including Dr. Nakayama, is scheduled to be held on Friday, February 26, 2027, with continued educational opportunities planned thereafter.

The Center also plans to collaborate with the ZEISS Customer Experience Center, which opened at ZEISS headquarters in Tokyo on February 18, 2026, to provide practical microscope operation training through dry labs and wet labs.