The Japanese Cleft Palate Foundation and its director Dr. Nagato Natsume have been awarded the Labour Order, third class, by the Vietnamese State.

Former State Vice President Truong My Hoa presented the order to the foundation and Dr. Nagato Natsume at a ceremony held in southern Ben Tre province on December 22.

Since April, 1993, the Japanese Cleft Palate Foundation has provided free surgery for 1,300 children with harelip and cleft palate in Ben Tre province and granted US$75,000 to build a new surgical centre at Nguyen Dinh Chieu Hospital. Since 1998 the foundation has sent doctors to Ho Chi Minh City and northern Ninh Binh province annually to conduct cleft palate surgery on poor children.