Kōrō Sasaki (佐々木 耕郎 Sasaki Kōrō, 21 August 1895 – 1 October 1978) was a Japanese politician. He served as the mayor of Nikkō in Tochigi Prefecture from 1953 to 1969, overseeing its transition to an independent municipality in 1954. During his time as mayor, he promoted the city's development as an international cultural tourist destination. He was active in social education and served as president of the Tochigi Scout Council and the Tochigi Prefecture Skating Association.

Life and career

Kōrō Sasaki was born on 21 August 1895[1] in the city of Morioka in Iwate Prefecture.[2] In 1917 he graduated from Takachiho University and found employment with Furukawa Electric.[3] He was held liable for having a number of employees dismissed at the end of World War II. He retired from the company in 1945[4] and thereafter took up residence in Nikkō in Tochigi Prefecture.[5] That November he served as president of Betsukura Seisakusho Co. Ltd. and hired employees who had been laid off from Furukawa.[4]

Sasaki served on the Tochigi Prefectural Assembly from April 1951 to July 1953.[6] Following the death of the mayor of Nikkō, Toshijirō Itō,[lower-alpha 1] Sasaki ran for and won the position in July 1953.[7] He remained mayor until 27 August 1969.[1] He oversaw the transition of Nikkō into an independent municipality, a process begun under Itō, which involved a merger with Okorogawa.[5] He then became the first mayor of the new municipality on 11 February 1954.[1] During his time as mayor Sasaki focused on such health and social welfare issues as human waste treatment facilities, garbage incinerators,[1] and the development of Nikkō as an international cultural tourist destination.[8] He was made an honorary citizen of Nikkō on 11 February 1971.[3]

Sasaki was dedicated to social education and served as president of the Tochigi Boy Scout Association[lower-alpha 2] and the Tochigi Prefecture Skating Association.[lower-alpha 3][3] Sasaki died at 05:15[5] on 1 October 1978[1] at age 83 at Dokkyo Medical University Hospital. He was appointed to the Senior Sixth Rank of the Imperial Court.[5]

Notes

  1. ↑ 伊藤敏次郎 Itō Toshijirō
  2. ↑ ボーイスカウト栃木連盟 Bōi Sukauto Tochigi Renmei
  3. ↑ 栃木県スケート連盟 Toshigi-ken Skēto Renmei

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Ogawa 1983, p. 602.
  2. ↑ Nikkō Shishi Hensan Iinkai 1979, p. 962; Tochigiken Rekishi Jinbutsu Jiten Hensan Iinkai 1995, p. 287.
  3. 1 2 3 Nikkō Shishi Hensan Iinkai 1979, p. 962.
  4. 1 2 Tochigiken Rekishi Jinbutsu Jiten Hensan Iinkai 1995, p. 287.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Kōhō Nikkō staff 1978, p. 2.
  6. ↑ Ogawa 1983, p. 602; Nikkō Shishi Hensan Iinkai 1979, p. 962.
  7. ↑ Tochigiken Rekishi Jinbutsu Jiten Hensan Iinkai 1995, p. 287; Nikkō Shishi Hensan Iinkai 1979, p. 878.
  8. ↑ Nikkō Shishi Hensan Iinkai 1979, pp. 962–963.

Works cited

  • Kōhō Nikkō staff (November 1978). "Kōhō Nikkō" 広報にっこう (PDF). City of Nikkō. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  • Nikkō Shishi Hensan Iinkai, ed. (1979). Nikkō shishi 日光市史 (in Japanese). Vol. 3. City of Nikkō. OCLC 23312744.
  • Ogawa, Shōgo, ed. (1983). Nihon no rekidai shichō: shisei shikō hyakunen no ayumi 日本の歴代市長 (in Japanese). Vol. 1. Rekidai Chiji Hensankai.
  • Tochigiken Rekishi Jinbutsu Jiten Hensan Iinkai, ed. (1995). Tochigiken rekishi jinbutsu jiten 栃木県歴史人物事典 (in Japanese). Shimotsuke Shinbunsha. ISBN 4-88286-064-3. OCLC 675601028.
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