Dr Ichiro Kikuchi has been associated with both the National Leprosarium Kikuchi Keifu-en (Kumamoto Pref) and the National Leprosarium Miyako Nansei-en (Okinawa Pref). He served as the director at Miyako Nansei-en (Okinawa), in 1996 and as chief dermatologist at Kikuchi Keifuen, in 1989. Dr Kikuchi was born on June 26, 1936. He graduated from Kagoshima University in 1961, and worked as an assistant at Kumamoto University in 1962 and a lecturer there in 1969. In 1970, he was chief dermatologist at the National Kumamoto Hospital and, in 1977, assistant professor of dermatology at Miyazaki Medical College. In 2003, he became director emeritus of the Medical College and vice director at Ai-raifu Uchinomaki.