Obituary of Professor Akito Arima
22.12.2020 |
Former President of the Japanese Research Institute RIKEN Professor Akito Arima passed away on 6 December at the age of 90. In addition to his outstanding contributions to science, his achievements for RIKEN's international relations will be a lasting legacy. During his presidency from 1993 to 1998, he essentially strengthened the cooperation between GSI and RIKEN (Tokyo). The management of GSI/FAIR sends heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.
Professor Akito Arima contributed significantly to the development of the research landscape in Japan as a nuclear physicist and as a politician and held a lot of important positions over many years. During his term as RIKEN President, he focused on intensifying RIKEN's international relations. During this time, the long-standing, successful cooperation between GSI and RIKEN was significantly deepened through his support.
In addition to his work at RIKEN, he also served as president of the University of Tokyo, president of the Japan Association of National Universities, Minister of Education, and Minister of State for Science and Technology. In these various roles, he made great contributions to the development of science and technology. He received numerous prizes and awards for his services. Additionally, he was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Besides his outstanding achievements in science and science policy making, Akito Arima was also a highly respected authority in haiku, the traditional Japanese poetry. (LW)
