Obituary of Kodi Husimi

Kodi Husimi, a Japanese physicist and a Pugwashite, passed away peacefully at a hospital in Yokohama, Japan, on 8th May 2008 at the age of 98 by aging. He was active and full of curiosity to his very last days. Even in this January he published an interesting introductory book on atomic physics.

He was graduated from University of Tokyo in 1933. After working as a research associate of the University for one year he was transferred to Osaka University, where he worked first on neutron experiments by using Cockkroft-Warton accelerator, then mainly on theory of statistical mechanics. He served as Dean of Faculty of Science. He promoted plasma science in Japan and worked as the first Director of Institute of Plasma Physics, Nagoya University from 1961. After retirement from the University in 1973, both Osaka University and Nagoya University conferred on him the title of Professor Emeritus.

His activity was not limited in research and education of physics. He was elected as one of the first members of Science Council of Japan, the governmental organization on science and society in 1949. He pioneered research and development on nuclear energy after the Japanese recovery of independence from the military occupation by Allied Powers in 1952. Kodi Husimi proposed three fundamental principles on peaceful use of nuclear energy: openness, autonomy and democracy. At the same time he pursued the abolition of nuclear weapons. His idea was supported and concluded as a statement by the Science Council of Japan in 1954. These principles were adopted in the Fundamental Law on Peaceful Research and Development on Nuclear Energy. Thanks to Kodi Husimi military application of nuclear energy is strictly prohibited in Japan by this law.

He was President of the Science Council of Japan in 1977 through 1982 and a member of the House of Councilors in 1983 through 1989.

After the cold war was dissolved the basis of scientific research was extremely severe in the former Soviet Union. Kodi Husimi initiated to establish a program supporting academic collaborations between scientists in Japan and the Former Soviet Union, collecting bona fides contributions from business companies and individuals. This program was enforced under the Japan Society for Promotion of Sciences and it continued from 1992 to 1997. In total 103 projects were adopted and 431 scientists in the Former Soviet Union and 337 scientists were involved in this program. Some collaboration survived and extended even after closing this program and produced excellent results.

Kodi Husimi was an active member in the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs. His first participation was at the 31st Annual Pugwash Conference held at Banff, Canada in 1981. He also attended the 56th Pugwash Symposium on Peace and Security in the Asia-Pacific Region held in Tokyo, Japan in 1989; at the 40th Annual Conference held at Egham, UK, in 1990; at the 42nd Annual Conference held at Berlin in 1992; and at the 45th Annual Conference held at Hiroshima in 1995. He was a good friend of Jo Rotblat.

He was the key figure of the Committee of Seven for World Peace (founded in 1955 by Hideki Yukawa and others) in 1982 through his last days. Kodi Husimi struggled for peaceful settlement of international disputes and for abolition of nuclear weapons. He wrote not only many professional articles and books but also excellent text books and scientific and other essays. He loved painting and origami (the art of folding paper into figures).

He left two daughters and two sons with many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

He lived a happy long life supported by enthusiastic humanity.