Obituary: Nonaligned-movement scholar Okakura Koshiro dies

Okakura Koshiro, known for his great achievements in Asian and African studies, died of pneumonia in a Tokyo hospital on April 2. He was 88.

Okakura, grandson of the Japanese art authority Okakura Kakuzo [Tenshin] (1862-1913), left behind a lot of studies on U.S. world strategy and the nonaligned movement.

From 1972 to 1982, he was a vice-chairman of the Science Council of Japan.

Okakura devoted his life to the movement for peace and democracy. He was an advisor to the Association for a Non-Nuclear Government, a member of the chairpersons committee of the Organizing Committee for the World Conference against A and H Bombs, a representing director of the Japan Asia Africa Latin America Solidarity Committee (AALA), and a coordinator of the National Forum for Peace and Progressive Change.

He also acted as coordinator of the Association of Academics in Support of the Japanese Communist Party and contributed to JCP advances. (end)