Not only hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia but also metabolic syndrome and chronic kidney disease are major risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD) and stroke, so called “vascular diseases”. The number of patients with CAD is increasing worldwide. Japan has more than 40 million hypertensive patients: in other words, one third of the Japanese population is at high risk for stroke. Our pharmacological research aims to discover preventive and therapeutic strategies against vascular diseases. Specifically, we are investigating the mechanisms of cardiovascular and renal injury, the role of central nervous system in blood pressure changes, and the beneficial effects of therapeutic agents and foods, using animal models of human diseases and various cell types.