Sadako Ogata

Sadako Ogata
Sadako Ogata at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2012
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
In office 1991 – 2001
Preceded by	Thorvald Stoltenberg
Succeeded by	Ruud Lubbers
Personal details
Born	September 16, 1927 (1927-09-16) Tokyo, Japan
Religion	Roman Catholic

Sadako Ogata at the World Economic Forum in 2008

Sadako Ogata (緒方 貞子, Ogata Sadako, born September 16, 1927), is a Japanese academic, diplomat, author, administrator and professor emeritus at Sophia University.

Early life

Sadako Nakamura was born in 1927. Her father was a diplomat and her mother was a grandchild of Inukai Tsuyoshi and was influenced by his liberal political attitude.

She attended the Catlin Gabel School, class of 1946, and graduated from University of the Sacred Heart, Tokyo, before studying at Georgetown University and its Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service. In 1964, she was awarded a Ph.D. in political science from the University of California, Berkeley

She is the wife of Shijiro Ogata whose career unfolded at the Bank of Japan.

Academic

In 1963. Ogata later taught international politics at Sophia University.

Diplomat

Ogata 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, in 1976-1978 and in 1978-1979. She served 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 is still serving as of June 2011.

Honors

In 2011, DCMG was conferred.

In 2003, Japan's Order of Culture was conferred.

In 2002, Ogata received the Fulbright Prize for International Understanding. In 2005, Ogata received the World Citizenship Award from the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.

In 2001, Ogata was recognized by the Japanese government as a Person of Cultural Merit.

In 1994, she was awarded the Prize For Freedom by the Liberal International. On July 4, 1995, Ogata became the first female recipient of the Liberty Medal for efforts as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Ms Ogata is an Eminent Member of the Sergio Vieira de Mello Foundation.

Quotes

• "If we ignore the plight of the refugees or the burden of the countries which have received them, I fear we will pay a heavy toll in renewed violence. Conditions must be created urgently to allow the refugees to go back and live in peace and tolerance in their own country." — Liberty Medal acceptance speech, July 4, 1995

References

• Salokar, Rebecca Mae and Mary L Volcansek. (1996). Women in Law: a Bio-Bibliographical Sourcebook. Westport: Greenwood Press. 10-ISBN 0313294100/13-ISBN 9780313294105; OCLC 34284024

External links

• United Nations, bio notes