While the prognosis appears grim, the charismatic inventor remains confident and determined.
Japan’s most prolific inventor, Dr. Yoshiro Nakamats, recently revealed in a press conference that he has terminal cancer and doctors have told him he only has a year and half left to live, yet in typical bullish fashion the enigmatic doctor vowed to to come up with a treatment that would help him beat it.
Weekender had the privilege of spending some time in his company a few months ago and whilst he hadn’t revealed his illness publicly at that point, he did tell us that he was “investigating all kinds of therapy so people could live longer.” He went on to say, “you never know what’s around the corner; I could have an accident or be diagnosed with a terminal illness, but I believe I could possibly live until I’m 144.”
The 86-year-old, whose most famous inventions include the floppy disk (IBM bought some of Nakamats’s patents related to the device), a new type of kerosene pump, and his pyon pyon jumping shoes, admitted in the press conference that ductal prostate cancer would be extremely difficult to overcome; however, he asserted that he would continue investigating ways to treat the disease. As Dr. Nakamatsu told reporters at the press conference, “I’m going to discover a new treatment.”
Over his distinguished and colorful career, he has registered 3342 patents to his name, and we don’t imagine that he will let his illness stop him there. Determined to make the most of the time he has left, Dr. Nakamats intends to go on inventing for as long as possible.
–Matthew Hernon
Image: Wikimedia Commons
