Shinichi Kitaoka
Shinichi Kitaoka (北岡 伸一, Kitaoka Shin'ichi, born 20 April 1948) is a Japanese political scientist and the president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and a former president of the International University of Japan, a professor at Japan's GRIPS-Tokyo School of Security and International Studies and the former Japanese ambassador to the United Nations. His major is the history of Japanese politics and diplomacy, as a political scientist and a historian.
Shinichi Kitaoka 北岡 伸一 | |
---|---|
President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency | |
Assumed office 1 October 2015 | |
Preceded by | Akihiko Tanaka |
President of the International University of Japan | |
In office 2012 – September 30, 2015 | |
Preceded by | Masakatsu Mori |
Succeeded by | Kimio Kase |
Personal details | |
Born | Yoshino, Nara, Japan | April 20, 1948
Nationality | Japanese |
Alma mater | University of Tokyo |
Early life
Kitaoka graduated with a B.L. in June 1971 and received his Ph.D. of Law from the University of Tokyo in September 1976. He lived at Wakeijuku.[1]
Career
Kitaoka took a lecturership at Rikkyo University; he became a full professor there in 1985. In 1997, he moved to his current position at the University of Tokyo.
In 2004, he was appointed as Japan's ambassador and deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, a position he held until 2006 when he returned to academia.[2][3][4]
In 2006-2010, Kitaoka was the Japanese chair of the Japan-China Joint History Research Committee. Among other topics, the committee investigated the Nanking Massacre.[5] From 2009-2010, he chaired a Ministry of Foreign Affairs committee on the so-called Secret Agreements between the U.S. and Japan on the introduction of nuclear weapons into Japanese territory.
Kitaoka currently is the Deputy Chairman of the Advisory Panel on Reconstruction of the Legal Basis for Security, an advisory panel to Prime Minister Abe on the possibility of re-interpreting constitutional provisions to allow for collective self-defense.
Activity
Shinichi Kitaoka is an author of numerous books and articles on political issues such as “A Political History of Modern Japan: Foreign Relations and Domestic Politics” (Tokyo: Yuhikaku, 2011), “Political Dynamics of the United Nations: Where Does Japan Stand? (Tokyo: Chuokoron-Shinsha, 2007), “Global Player” (Tokyo: NTT Publishing, 2010). He wrote his books and articles in both Japanese and English.
Shinichi Kitaoka was awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 2011. This award was presented to him for his academic contributions.[6]
References
- https://diamond.jp/articles/-/214975
- Biography of Kitaoka, White Rose East Asia Center.
- Japan Names Tokyo Univ. Prof. Kitaoka as U.N. Amb., Jiji Press, April 2, 2004
- Permanent mission of Japan to the United Nations: About us https://web.archive.org/web/20110606115828/http://www.un.int/japan/aboutus/kitaoka.htm, retrieved August 18, 2008.
- Leow, Jason (August 3, 2007), "Nanking efforts examine massacre, seek healing", The Wall Street Journal
- https://www.jica.go.jp/english/about/president/profile.html
External links
- Kitaoka's GRIPS web page, retrieved May 15, 2014.
- "The First Meeting of The Japan-China Joint History Research Committee (Summary)," December 2006"