Kan'ichi Asakawa award
History of the Kan'Ichi Asakawa Award
Established in 1992 by the Dartmouth Club of Japan in memory of Dr. Kan’ichi Asakawa who was the first Japanese student to graduate from Dartmouth College (class of 1899) and a famed historian, the Kan’ichi Asakawa Award is given to an individual who exemplifies the spirit of international understanding. Through words and action, in commerce; the arts; diplomacy; science; public service; or other areas, this individual provides inspiration to all those who endeavor to construct and cross bridges of finer communication between people of different cultures. While the promotion of international understanding may not have been an overt goal during the recipient’s career, it has been a recognized and highly regarded achievement, and thus has become an integral part of his or her contribution.
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2015 AwARD RECIPIENT
On October 20th, 2015 the Dartmouth Club of Japan will be hosting the 9th Kan’ichi Asakawa Award dinner at the International House of Japan.
The recipient of the 9th Asakawa Award will be Mr. Shoei Utsuda, President and CEO of Mitsui & Co. from 2002-2009 and Vice Chairman of Nippon Keidanren.
Mr. Utsuda spent a year studying at Dartmouth while on secondment from Mitsui, and in 2010, revisited Dartmouth, now as Chairman of Mitsui & Co. The following year, in 2011, the $3M Mitsui Endowment at Dartmouth was established, and the Mitsui Chair in the Study of Japan was created.
Mr. Utsuda first visited Hanover in 1969 when he spent a year studying at Dartmouth before going on to work at Mitsui & Co.’s New York office. After returning to Japan, he was mainly engaged in developing the electric machinery and ICT business until he was appointed Member of the Board in 1997.
Mr. Utsuda was promoted to President and CEO of Mitsui & Co. in 2002 to tackle, reshape and rebuild the culture of the company and the mindset of its people, which was then suffering from compliance-related incidents.
Setting up the Mitsui Endowment at Dartmouth not only serves Mitsui’s target to develop human resource with an international perspective and to promote domestic and overseas education, but is also in line with Mr. Utsuda’s philosophy of “Yoi-Shigoto,” or “good quality work”. Regardless of the nature and size of an organization, one has to always bear in mind the aspiration to serve society through “Yoi-Shigoto”, seeking fundamental value and the general good, rather than immediate financial advantage.
In his personal time, Mr. Utsuda enjoys golf, tennis, and scuba diving with his family.
The recipient of the 9th Asakawa Award will be Mr. Shoei Utsuda, President and CEO of Mitsui & Co. from 2002-2009 and Vice Chairman of Nippon Keidanren.
Mr. Utsuda spent a year studying at Dartmouth while on secondment from Mitsui, and in 2010, revisited Dartmouth, now as Chairman of Mitsui & Co. The following year, in 2011, the $3M Mitsui Endowment at Dartmouth was established, and the Mitsui Chair in the Study of Japan was created.
Mr. Utsuda first visited Hanover in 1969 when he spent a year studying at Dartmouth before going on to work at Mitsui & Co.’s New York office. After returning to Japan, he was mainly engaged in developing the electric machinery and ICT business until he was appointed Member of the Board in 1997.
Mr. Utsuda was promoted to President and CEO of Mitsui & Co. in 2002 to tackle, reshape and rebuild the culture of the company and the mindset of its people, which was then suffering from compliance-related incidents.
Setting up the Mitsui Endowment at Dartmouth not only serves Mitsui’s target to develop human resource with an international perspective and to promote domestic and overseas education, but is also in line with Mr. Utsuda’s philosophy of “Yoi-Shigoto,” or “good quality work”. Regardless of the nature and size of an organization, one has to always bear in mind the aspiration to serve society through “Yoi-Shigoto”, seeking fundamental value and the general good, rather than immediate financial advantage.
In his personal time, Mr. Utsuda enjoys golf, tennis, and scuba diving with his family.
Past AWARD RECipients
The first Award was presented to Maestro Seiji Ozawa, the Music Director of Boston Symphony Orchestra, on March 18, 1992.
On October 29, 1993 the Second Award went to Mr. Yasushi Akashi, then the Commissioner of the U.N. Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC).
Dr. Michio Nagai, then the Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the International House of Japan, was the recipient of the Third Award, presented on February 2, 1996.
The Fourth Asakawa Award was presented to Mr. and Mrs. William T. Breer. The ceremony was held at the International House of Japan September 19, 1997. Mr. Breer is former Minister, Embassy of the United States of America in Japan and a Dartmouth Class of 1957, and currently serves as the Japan Chair at the Center for Strategic & International Studies in Washington, DC.
Mr. Chiharu (Chic) Igaya, Dartmouth Class of 1957, Executive Board Member of the International Olympic Committee, was the recipient of the Fifth Asakawa Award, which was presented by President James Wright of Dartmouth College at a ceremony at the Kasumigaseki Mitsui Club on November 24, 1998. Some 75 members of the Club and Chick’s close friends attended. Among special guests were Mrs. Wright and the Mayor of Nihonmatsu City, the birthplace of Dr. Asakawa.
The Sixth Award was presented to Dr. Chiaki Mukai, acclaimed physician and first Japanese female astronaut, in November 2001. Among her many accomplishments, Dr. Chiaki Mukai, received her doctorate degree in medicine in 1977 and, after two residencies, returned to school to specialize in cardiovascular surgery where she received another degree in physiology. Her first flight came in July of 1994, making her the first female Japanese astronaut. The award was presented at the International House, where approximately 80 guests attended, including members of Japan’s Space Agency, NASDA.
The Seventh Asakawa Award was presented on November 29, 2004 to Ambassador Sadako Ogata, who 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, in1976-1978 and in 1978-1979. She served as the Chairman of the UNICEF Executive Board from 1978 to 1979 and as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees from 1991 until 2001. She was appointed as the president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency on October 1, 2003 and retired from the post in April 2012.
The Eighth Asakawa Award was presented on May 9, 2013 to Professor Donald L. Keene, the 20th century’s leading Western scholar of Japanese literature. Keene has published about 25 books in English on Japanese topics, including both studies of Japanese literature and culture and translations of Japanese classical and modern literature, including a four-volume history of Japanese literature, which has become the standard work. Keene has also published about 30 books in Japanese (some translated from English). He is the president of the Donald Keene Foundation for Japanese Culture.
On October 29, 1993 the Second Award went to Mr. Yasushi Akashi, then the Commissioner of the U.N. Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC).
Dr. Michio Nagai, then the Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the International House of Japan, was the recipient of the Third Award, presented on February 2, 1996.
The Fourth Asakawa Award was presented to Mr. and Mrs. William T. Breer. The ceremony was held at the International House of Japan September 19, 1997. Mr. Breer is former Minister, Embassy of the United States of America in Japan and a Dartmouth Class of 1957, and currently serves as the Japan Chair at the Center for Strategic & International Studies in Washington, DC.
Mr. Chiharu (Chic) Igaya, Dartmouth Class of 1957, Executive Board Member of the International Olympic Committee, was the recipient of the Fifth Asakawa Award, which was presented by President James Wright of Dartmouth College at a ceremony at the Kasumigaseki Mitsui Club on November 24, 1998. Some 75 members of the Club and Chick’s close friends attended. Among special guests were Mrs. Wright and the Mayor of Nihonmatsu City, the birthplace of Dr. Asakawa.
The Sixth Award was presented to Dr. Chiaki Mukai, acclaimed physician and first Japanese female astronaut, in November 2001. Among her many accomplishments, Dr. Chiaki Mukai, received her doctorate degree in medicine in 1977 and, after two residencies, returned to school to specialize in cardiovascular surgery where she received another degree in physiology. Her first flight came in July of 1994, making her the first female Japanese astronaut. The award was presented at the International House, where approximately 80 guests attended, including members of Japan’s Space Agency, NASDA.
The Seventh Asakawa Award was presented on November 29, 2004 to Ambassador Sadako Ogata, who 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, in1976-1978 and in 1978-1979. She served as the Chairman of the UNICEF Executive Board from 1978 to 1979 and as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees from 1991 until 2001. She was appointed as the president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency on October 1, 2003 and retired from the post in April 2012.
The Eighth Asakawa Award was presented on May 9, 2013 to Professor Donald L. Keene, the 20th century’s leading Western scholar of Japanese literature. Keene has published about 25 books in English on Japanese topics, including both studies of Japanese literature and culture and translations of Japanese classical and modern literature, including a four-volume history of Japanese literature, which has become the standard work. Keene has also published about 30 books in Japanese (some translated from English). He is the president of the Donald Keene Foundation for Japanese Culture.