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Masahide Ota, former Okinawa governor and noted historian, dies at age 92

Masahide Ota, former Okinawa governor and noted historian, dies at age 92

On June 12, 2017 (JST), a former Okinawa governor and scholar, Masahide Ōta (大田昌秀) passed away at the age of 92.

The image above is linked to the PDF from the Ryukyu Shinpo. [Accessed on June 12, 2017, HST]

"Former Okinawa Gov. Masahide Ota, a noted historian and survivor of the Battle of Okinawa, died Monday of pneumonia and respiratory failure at a hospital in Naha, his office said," The Japan Times wrote, "He had turned 92 the same day."

[Source: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/06/12/national/politics-diplomacy/masahide-ota-former-okinawa-governor-noted-historian-dies-age-92/]

Professor Ota has a strong tie to the University of Hawai'i. According to the article titled "'The World is beginning to know Okinawa': Ota Masahide Reflects on his Life from the Battle of Okinawa to the Struggle for Okinawa," Prof. Ota "has taught at the East-West Center, University of Hawaii (1973)."

Ota, Masahide & Norimatsu, Satoko. (September 20, 2010). "'The World is beginning to know Okinawa": Ota Masahide Reflects on his Life from the Battle of Okinawa to the Struggle for Okinawa." The Asia Pacific Journal | Japan Focus, Vol. 8, Issue 38, Number 4.

The Okinawa International Peace Research Institute in Okinawa, Japan, which Prof. Ota was the President, has a list of Prof. Ota's writings.

Prof. Ota's research during his stay at the University of Hawai'i's East West Center was described in the East West Center's 1974 annual report titled "East-West Center fourteenth annual report, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1974."  On page 42, the report has written,

SOCIOPOLITICAL PROCESSES IN CULTURAL IDENTITY

This project was concerned with the relationship of cultural identity to national
identity and the social processes involved in developing national identity.
Activity 1: Social Psychology of Okinawans in Hawaii, the U.S. Mainland and Japan:
Masahide Ota, Institute Fellow, researched and prepared a monograph comparing
experiences and attitudes of Okinawan descendents in Japan, Hawaii and the U.S.
mainland. His work investigated various factors behind formation of political and
cultural identity in Okinawa and elsewhere, under contrasting degrees of social
pressure towards assimilation. Several Institute degree students worked with Ota
on the theoretical aspects of assimilation and cultural identity, including research on
parallel problems in other societies."

Other materials related to Prof. Ota and his work at the East West Center can be found under East West Center Publication page under Scholar Space.

https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/handle/10125/1700

The Annual Reports are available in PDF.

Prof. Ota's "Professional development and research, 1973-74" can be found here.