Ryozo Nagai graduated from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, where he completed his medical degree with a specialization in cardiovascular diseases. He started his career as an associate professor in the Third Division of Internal Medicine at the University of Tokyo Hospital, and then became a professor at Gunma University Department of Medicine and Biological Science, as well as a visiting professor at the Medical Research Institute of Tokyo Medical and Dental University. In 1999, he became a professor in Cardiovascular Medicine at the Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine of the University of Tokyo. He became the director of the University of Tokyo Hospital in 2003 and became head of the hospital’s Translational Research Center in 2009. In 2012, he was appointed as president of Jichi Medical University. He was named honorary professor at the University of Tokyo that same year. In addition to the above, he has also served as president for several other institutes including the Japanese Society of Internal Medicine, Japanese College of Cardiology, and The Japanese Circulation Society. He received the Purple Ribbon medal in 2009 and a gold medal from the European Society of Cardiology in 2012. He is an expert member of the Medical Specialist Training Subcommittee, Physician Subcommittee, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW). He is also a committee member of the Council for the Promotion of Cardiovascular Disease Measures, MHLW.