Shinichi Kitaoka

Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Shinichi Kitaoka

Role / Field:

Prominent Japanese political scientist specializing in Japanese history and diplomacy.

Born:

1948-04-20

Century / Era:

1948s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Shinichi Kitaoka (北岡 伸一, Kitaoka Shin'ichi; born 20 April 1948) is a Japanese political scientist. He has held many roles such as the president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), president of the International University of Japan, professor at Japan's GRIPS-Tokyo School of Security and International Studies, and Japanese ambassador to the United Nations. His area of expertise is the history of Japanese politics and diplomacy, as a political scientist and a historian. Kitaoka was born in Yoshino, Nara Prefecture. His family owned a sake brewing business and both his father and grandfather had served as the mayor of Yoshino.

Career & Major Achievements

His great uncle was Juitsu Kitaoka, economist and former official of the Ministry of Labor. Kitaoka graduated with a B.L. in June 1971 and received his Ph.D. of Law from the University of Tokyo in September 1976. While studying at the University of Tokyo he lived at the all-male dormitory Wakeijuku. Kitaoka took a lecturership at Rikkyo University; he became a full professor there in 1985. In 1997, he moved to a position at the University of Tokyo.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

In 2004, he was appointed as Japan's ambassador and deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, a position he held until 2006 when he returned to academia. In 2006-2010, Kitaoka was the Japanese chair of the Japan-China Joint History Research Committee. Among other topics, the committee investigated the Nanking Massacre. From 2009-2010, he chaired a Ministry of Foreign Affairs committee on the so-called Secret Agreements between the U.S. and Japan on the introduction of nuclear weapons into Japanese territory. Kitaoka was the Deputy Chairman of the Advisory Panel on Reconstruction of the Legal Basis for Security, an advisory panel to Prime Minister Abe on the possibility of re-interpreting constitutional provisions to allow for collective self-defense.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1948 (1948-04-20): Birth of Shinichi Kitaoka — Prominent Japanese political scientist specializing in Japanese history and diplomacy.
2. 1976: 1976 Milestone — of Law from the University of Tokyo in September 1976.
3. 1985: 1985 Milestone — Kitaoka took a lecturership at Rikkyo University; he became a full professor there in 1985.
4. 1997: 1997 Milestone — In 1997, he moved to a position at the University of Tokyo.
5. 2004: 2004 Milestone — In 2004, he was appointed as Japan's ambassador and deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, a position he held until 2006 when he returned to academia.
6. 2006: 2006 Milestone — In 2006-2010, Kitaoka was the Japanese chair of the Japan-China Joint History Research Committee.
7. 2009: 2009 Milestone — From 2009-2010, he chaired a Ministry of Foreign Affairs committee on the so-called Secret Agreements between the U.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Shinichi Kitaoka

True or False: “Shinichi Kitaoka's early life was significantly influenced by his family's involvement in the sake brewing business.”

Answer (TRUE ⭕): The text notes that Kitaoka’s family owned a sake brewing business, and both his father and grandfather served as mayors of Yoshino.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• A. Wyatt Tilby — Contemporary (Died in 1948) (1948): British author, journalist, and traveler known for his writings on history and philosophy.
• Abby Aldrich Rockefeller — Contemporary (Died in 1948) (1948): American socialite and influential philanthropist, key patron of modern art.
• Abdullah Öcalan — Contemporary (Born in 1948) (1948): Founder of the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and advocate for Kurdish rights.
• 3rd Dalai Lama — Shared historical date (04-20 · Died) (1588): Founding figure of the Dalai Lama lineage, pivotal to Gelug school's rise in Tibet.
• Adolf Hitler — Shared historical date (04-20 · Born) (1889): Austrian-born German politician who became dictator of Germany during the Nazi era.
• Abdulrazak Gurnah — Historical peer (Born in 1948) (1948): Acclaimed Tanzanian novelist and Nobel laureate exploring themes of colonialism and refuge.
• Akira Mutō — Historical peer (Died in 1948) (1948): Imperial Japanese Army General implicated in war crimes during WWII.
• Abd El-Razzak El-Sanhuri — Historical peer (Died in 1971) (1971): Pioneering Egyptian jurist, celebrated for authoring the revised Civil Code of 1948.
• Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi — Historical peer (Born in 1971) (1971): Iraqi militant leader and founder of the Islamic State (IS)
• A Day at the Races (album) — Historical peer (Born in 1976) (1976): Queen's fifth studio album, a companion piece to A Night at the Opera.
• 1948 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1948
• April 20 (04-20) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on April 20

Frequently Asked Questions about Shinichi Kitaoka