, is a Japanese

Japanese people

The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...

 academic, diplomat

Diplomat

A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...

, author

Author

An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...

, administrator and professor emeritus at Sophia University

Sophia University

There are several rankings below related to Sophia University.-General Rankings:The university was ranked 61st in 2010 in the ranking Truly Strong Universities by Toyo Keizai...

.

Early life

Sadako Nakamura was born in 1927. Her father was a diplomat and her mother was a grandchild of Inukai Tsuyoshi

Inukai Tsuyoshi

was a Japanese politician and the 29th Prime Minister of Japan from 13 December 1931 to 15 May 1932.-Early life:Inukai was born to a former samurai family of the Niwase Domain, in Niwase village, Bizen Province , and was a graduate of Keio Gijuku in Tokyo. In his early career, he worked as a...

 and was influenced by his liberal political attitude.

She attended the Catlin Gabel School, class of 1946,
and graduated from University of the Sacred Heart, Tokyo, before studying at Georgetown University

Georgetown University

Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...

 and its Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service

Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service

The Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service is a school within Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., United States. Jesuit priest Edmund A...

. In 1964, she was awarded a Ph.D. in political science from the University of California, Berkeley

University of California, Berkeley

The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...

She is the wife of Shijiro Ogata whose career unfolded at the Bank of Japan.

Diplomat

Ogata served in 1978 and 1979 as envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary at the permanent mission of Japan to the United Nations. She represented Japan at several sessions of the General Assembly -- in 1970, in 1975, in 1976-1978 and in 1978-1979. She served as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees , also known as The UN Refugee Agency is a United Nations agency mandated to protect and support refugees at the request of a government or the UN itself and assists in their voluntary repatriation, local integration or resettlement to...

 from 1991 until 2001. She was appointed as the president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency

Japan International Cooperation Agency

The Japan International Cooperation Agency is an independent governmental agency that coordinates official development assistance for the government of Japan...

 on October 1, 2003 and is still serving as of June 2011.

Honors

In 2011, DCMG was conferred.

In 2003, Japan's Order of Culture

Order of Culture

The is a Japanese order, established on February 11, 1937. The order has one class only, and may be awarded to men and women for contributions to Japan's art, literature or culture; recipients of the order also receive an annuity for life...

 was conferred.

In 2002, Ogata received the Fulbright Prize for International Understanding. In 2005, Ogata received the World Citizenship Award

World Citizenship Award

The World Citizenship Award is an award of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts . Launched in 1996, the award is given to people outside the Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting movement who have contributed to a better world in at least one of the following areas - peace, environment,...

 from the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts

World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts

The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts is a global association supporting the female-oriented and female-only Scouting organizations in 145 countries. It was established in 1928 and has its headquarters in London, England. It is the counterpart of the World Organization of the Scout...

.

In 2001, Ogata was recognized by the Japanese government as a Person of Cultural Merit

Person of Cultural Merit

is an official Japanese recognition-honor which is awarded annually to select people who have made outstanding cultural contributions. This distinction is intended to play a role as a part of a system of support measures for the promotion of creative activities in Japan...

.

In 1994, she was awarded the Prize For Freedom

Prize For Freedom

The Prize For Freedom is an annual prize presented by the Liberal International since 1985. With the prize the organization honors an individual which has made an outstanding contribution to human rights and political freedoms.-Awards:* 1985 - Raúl Alfonsín...

 by the Liberal International

Liberal International

Liberal International is a political international federation for liberal parties. Its headquarters is located at 1 Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 2HD within the National Liberal Club. It was founded in Oxford in 1947, and has become the pre-eminent network for liberal parties and for the...

. On July 4, 1995, Ogata became the first female recipient of the Liberty Medal for efforts as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees , also known as The UN Refugee Agency is a United Nations agency mandated to protect and support refugees at the request of a government or the UN itself and assists in their voluntary repatriation, local integration or resettlement to...

.

Ms Ogata is an Eminent Member of the Sergio Vieira de Mello Foundation.

Quotes

• "If we ignore the plight of the refugees or the burden of the countries which have received them, I fear we will pay a heavy toll in renewed violence. Conditions must be created urgently to allow the refugees to go back and live in peace and tolerance in their own country." — Liberty Medal acceptance speech, July 4, 1995

External links

• United Nations, bio notes