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The problems of a declining birth rate and an aging society have led to rising healthcare costs, and many countries are now faced with serious health care problems. The progress of medical technologies now allows us to treat patients with previously incurable diseases. On the other hand, the cost for R&D, personnel, medical materials and hospitalization has also led to increased costs. We have to aim for high quality and good cost performance medical care along with patient-friendly treatment.
Not all Japanese have equal access to high quality medical care since Japan has numerous isolated islands. The first successful telesurgery, a laparoscopic cholecystectomy on a 68 -year-old female patient was remotely performed using the surgical assisted robot "ZEUS" between New York, United States and Strasbourg, France. Telesurgery is no longer so unrealistic, and it has now become technologically practicable. If surgery and medical treatments by skilled surgeons can be provided at hospitals in isolated islands and remote rural areas, it would indeed be a remarkable advance and help countless isolated patients. 
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