Tadatoshi Akiba
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese
politician and served as the mayor of the city of Hiroshima, Japan
from 1999 to 2011.
, receiving a B.S. in 1966 and an M.S. in 1968. He continued his studies under John Milnor
at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
, earning his Ph.D. in mathematics in 1970. He took teaching jobs at a series of universities: State University of New York at Stony Brook
(1970), Tufts University
(1972–1986), and Hiroshima Shudo University
(1986–1997). His research was on topology
, with an interest in homotopy group
s.
, he was elected to the House of Representatives
, and served from 1990 to 1999. He assumed office as mayor of Hiroshima in February, 1999, and was reelected to this position in 2003 and in April 2007.
. He is active in the Mayors for Peace
organization, serving as the president of their World Conference. The 2020 Vision
Campaign launched in 2003, which aims to eliminate nuclear weapons, has earned Mayors for Peace the "World Citizenship Award
" from the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation
in 2004, the "Sean McBride" Award from the International Peace Bureau
in 2006, and the Nuclear-Free Future Award
from the Franz-Moll Foundation in 2007. He has also been an advocate of the abolition of nuclear weapons, and a vocal critic of George W. Bush
. Since May 2007 he is also Councillor at the World Future Council
.
In 2007 he received the Nuclear-Free Future Award
in the solutions category.
He was longlisted for the 2008 World Mayor
award, but failed to win, as the award went to Mayor Helen Zille
of Cape Town
, Republic of South Africa.
On January 21, 2010, he attended the 78th winter meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors as a special guest speaker, and in that capacity attended the reception held at the White House
and met US President Barack Obama
. He is so far the only serving Mayor of Hiroshima who has officially met a serving US President.
In August 2010, he received the Ramon Magsaysay Award
for his advocacy for nuclear disarmament.
Hiroshima is one place outside the United States where Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed with equal importance as in the United States. Tadatoshi Akiba holds a special banquet at the mayor's office as an act of unifying his city's call for peace with King's message of human rights.
has appointed Akiba as special professor, effective from his retirement as mayor. On April 10, Kazumi Matsui
was elected the new Mayor.
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...
politician and served as the mayor of the city of Hiroshima, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
from 1999 to 2011.
Early life
He studied mathematics at the University of TokyoUniversity of Tokyo
, abbreviated as , is a major research university located in Tokyo, Japan. The University has 10 faculties with a total of around 30,000 students, 2,100 of whom are foreign. Its five campuses are in Hongō, Komaba, Kashiwa, Shirokane and Nakano. It is considered to be the most prestigious university...
, receiving a B.S. in 1966 and an M.S. in 1968. He continued his studies under John Milnor
John Milnor
John Willard Milnor is an American mathematician known for his work in differential topology, K-theory and dynamical systems. He won the Fields Medal in 1962, the Wolf Prize in 1989, and the Abel Prize in 2011. Milnor is a distinguished professor at Stony Brook University...
at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
, earning his Ph.D. in mathematics in 1970. He took teaching jobs at a series of universities: State University of New York at Stony Brook
State University of New York at Stony Brook
The State University of New York at Stony Brook, also known as Stony Brook University, is a public research university located in Stony Brook, New York, on the North Shore of Long Island, about east of Manhattan....
(1970), Tufts University
Tufts University
Tufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
(1972–1986), and Hiroshima Shudo University
Hiroshima Shudo University
is a private university in Hiroshima, Hiroshima, Japan. The predecessor of the school, Hiroshima Domain's Han school, was founded in 1725. It was chartered as a junior college in 1952 and became a four-year college in 1960. The school adopted the present name in 1973.-External links:*...
(1986–1997). His research was on topology
Topology
Topology is a major area of mathematics concerned with properties that are preserved under continuous deformations of objects, such as deformations that involve stretching, but no tearing or gluing...
, with an interest in homotopy group
Homotopy group
In mathematics, homotopy groups are used in algebraic topology to classify topological spaces. The first and simplest homotopy group is the fundamental group, which records information about loops in a space...
s.
Political career
As a member of the Social Democratic PartySocial Democratic Party (Japan)
The Social Democratic Party The Social Democratic Party The Social Democratic Party (社会民主党 Shakai Minshu-tō, often abbreviated to 社民党 Shamin-tō; also known as the Social Democratic Party of Japan (abbreviated to SDPJ or SDP in English) is a political party that advocates for the establishment of a...
, he was elected to the House of Representatives
House of Representatives of Japan
The is the lower house of the Diet of Japan. The House of Councillors of Japan is the upper house.The House of Representatives has 480 members, elected for a four-year term. Of these, 180 members are elected from 11 multi-member constituencies by a party-list system of proportional representation,...
, and served from 1990 to 1999. He assumed office as mayor of Hiroshima in February, 1999, and was reelected to this position in 2003 and in April 2007.
Peace activities
As mayor, he has been a visible peace activistPeace activist
This list of peace activists includes people who proactively advocate diplomatic, non-military resolution of political disputes, usually through nonviolent means.A peace activist is an activist of the peace movement.*Jane Addams*Martti Ahtisaari...
. He is active in the Mayors for Peace
Mayors for Peace
Mayors for Peace is an international organization of cities, dedicated for the promotion of peace that was established in 1982 at the initiative of then mayor of Hiroshima Takeshi Araki....
organization, serving as the president of their World Conference. The 2020 Vision
2020 Vision
-Projects and ongoing events:*2020 Vision Campaign - Announced by the Mayors for Peace in 2003 seeking a nuclear-weapon-free world*2020 Vision Initiative - Launched by the International Food Policy Research Institute in 1993 seeking to reach sustainable food security for the world*Vision 2020 for...
Campaign launched in 2003, which aims to eliminate nuclear weapons, has earned Mayors for Peace 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 Nuclear Age Peace Foundation
Nuclear Age Peace Foundation
The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation is a non-profit international organization on the roster in consultative status to the United Nations Economic and Social Council...
in 2004, the "Sean McBride" Award from the International Peace Bureau
International Peace Bureau
International Peace Bureau is the world's oldest international peace federation. It was founded in 1891, and awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1910....
in 2006, and the Nuclear-Free Future Award
Nuclear-Free Future Award
Since 1998 the Nuclear-Free Future Award is an award given to anti-nuclear activists, organizations and communities. The award is intended to promote the opposition to uranium mining, nuclear weapons and nuclear power....
from the Franz-Moll Foundation in 2007. He has also been an advocate of the abolition of nuclear weapons, and a vocal critic of George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
. Since May 2007 he is also Councillor at the World Future Council
World Future Council
The World Future Council is an independent body formally founded in Hamburg, Germany on 10 May 2007. "Formed to speak on behalf of policy solutions that serve the interests of future generations", it includes members active in governmental bodies, civil society, business, science and the arts...
.
In 2007 he received the Nuclear-Free Future Award
Nuclear-Free Future Award
Since 1998 the Nuclear-Free Future Award is an award given to anti-nuclear activists, organizations and communities. The award is intended to promote the opposition to uranium mining, nuclear weapons and nuclear power....
in the solutions category.
He was longlisted for the 2008 World Mayor
World Mayor
World Mayor is a biennial award organized by The City Mayors Foundation since 2004. It intends to raise the profile of mayors worldwide, as well as honour those who have served their communities well and who have contributed to the well-being of cities, nationally and internationally...
award, but failed to win, as the award went to Mayor Helen Zille
Helen Zille
Helen Zille is the Premier of the Western Cape, a member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament, leader of South Africa's opposition Democratic Alliance political party, and a former Mayor of Cape Town.Zille is a former journalist and anti-apartheid activist, and famously exposed the truth...
of Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, Republic of South Africa.
On January 21, 2010, he attended the 78th winter meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors as a special guest speaker, and in that capacity attended the reception held at the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
and met US President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
. He is so far the only serving Mayor of Hiroshima who has officially met a serving US President.
In August 2010, he received the Ramon Magsaysay Award
Ramon Magsaysay Award
The Ramon Magsaysay Award is an annual award established to perpetuate former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay's example of integrity in government, courageous service to the people, and pragmatic idealism within a democratic society. The Ramon Magsaysay Award is often considered Asia's Nobel...
for his advocacy for nuclear disarmament.
Hiroshima is one place outside the United States where Martin Luther King Jr. Day is observed with equal importance as in the United States. Tadatoshi Akiba holds a special banquet at the mayor's office as an act of unifying his city's call for peace with King's message of human rights.
Stepping down as mayor
In the new year address on January 4, 2011, Akiba announced he would not run for reelection during the mayoral election scheduled for April 10, 2011. No reasons were given. In early April it was reported that Hiroshima UniversityHiroshima University
, located in the Japanese cities of Higashihiroshima and Hiroshima, was established 1949 by the merger of a number of national educational institutions.-History:Under the National School Establishment Law, Hiroshima University was established on May 31, 1949...
has appointed Akiba as special professor, effective from his retirement as mayor. On April 10, Kazumi Matsui
Kazumi Matsui
is the mayor of Hiroshima, Japan.Matsui was born in Hiroshima, son to a Hibakusha father.He won the mayoral election held in the unified local elections on April 10, 2011. In his bid for the Mayoral position, he was supported by the Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito.-External links:* *...
was elected the new Mayor.
Translation
- Linear algebra / Ichiro Satake ; translated by Sebastian Koh, Tadatoshi Akiba, Shin-ichiro Ihara