Professor Kitano graduated from Kyushu University School of Medicine and obtained MD in 1976. After surgical trainings in Department of Surgery II, Kyushu University Hospital, he finished a four-year course of Postgraduate School of Kyushu University School of Medicine and received the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in March, 1981.In October, 2011, he became President of the Oita University. In April, 2012, honourably, he was first elected the 5th president of IFSES (International Federation of Societies of Endoscopic Surgeons) as a Japanese surgeon by a unanimous decision and played his role as a president of IFSES until 2016. In addition to his all existing careers, he was assigned to the president of The Asian Pacific Society for Digestive Endoscopy in November, 2014 until now.