Okinawa International Peace Research Institute

　To achieve the goals and objectives, we will:
　
　○ Obtain records, photos, and films on world conflicts and wars and resolutions.
　○ Make the photos and films public - the battle of Okinawa, atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Holocaust, genocide against the indigenous people of Korea and China.
　○ Hold lectures, films, and symposium on world peace.
　○ Puppyish books on war and peace.

■From the President■

　When I was the governor of Okinawa, I made three approaches to the peacebuilding, (1) to give people opportunities to learn conflicts and wars as much as possible,, (2) not to forget what they learned , and (3) to use the information to resolve any conflict without violence. First, I relocated and renewed the old prefecture Peace Museum. Now, the new Museum. has more space to display information than the old one did. Second, I founded the Cornerstone of Peace inscribed with the names of those who died in the battle disregarding friend or foe, nationality, military or civilian. Visiting the Cornerstone of Peace and learning the war does as is inscribed in it "pass the lessons learned from the tragic war on to future generations" and to "contribute everlasting world peace." Finally, I understand that preventing conflict is almost impossible because people have varieties of different opinions on one thing. What important is to resolve conflict without any violence as possible. I wanted to found Okinawa International Peace Research Institute to study how to resolve any conflicts without any violence as less as possible, but I could not.

　After I left the government office, I started Ota Peace Research Institute since January of 1999. In 2013, it became a non profit organization and renamed Okinawa International Peace Research Institute as I planned it while I was a governor.

Masahide Ota, President

Profile:

June 1925	Born in Gushikawa Village (now Kumejima Town), Kume Island, Okinawa, Japan.
1941	Enrolled at Okinawa Shihan Gakko, a normal school or teachers' college.
1945	He was drafted into the 32nd Japanese Imperial Army as a member of Tekketsu Kinnotai or "Blood and Iron Student Corps" when he was a student in the second year. He was assigned to Chihaya Unit, sending in/out information. He managed to survive in the last battleground, the south part of Okinawa main island until October 1945.
August 1946	Graduated from Okinawa Bunkyo Gakko, a normal school after the war.
March 1948	Graduated from Okinawa Gaikokugo Gakko, a foreign language school.
1951	Enrolled at Waseda University and majoring in Education, studied English.
1954	Graduated from Waseda University, and studied Journalism at Syracuse University, New York, USA.
1956	Graduated from Syracuse University (master's degree) .
July 1958	Instructor at University of the Ryukyus (Sociology at department of literature and science) ＜1963 to 1964: Researcher at the center of journalism and communication of the Tokyo University＞
April 1968	Professor at University of the Ryukyus. ＜1968 to 1970: Researcher at the center of journalism and communication of the Tokyo University＞ ＜1973 to 197: Visiting Professor/Researcher at the East West Center of University of Hawaii＞ ＜1978 to 1979: Visiting Professor/Researcher at University of Arizona＞
1983 to 1985	Department Chair of University of the Ryukyus
March 1990	Retired and run the Okinawa Gubernatorial race.
December 1990	Governor of Okinawa until December of 1998. Devoted 8 years (two terms) for Peace, Financially Independence, and Coexistence.
January 1999	President at Ota Peace Research Institute (Now Okinawa International Peace Research Institute）
July 2001 to 2007	Senator of Japanese Upper House （Social Democratic Party）
March 2013	President at Okinawa International Peace Research Institute.