Kozai Yoshinao (古在由直)
Yoshinao KOZAI (January 28, 1864 - June 18, 1934) was a Japanese agricultural chemist. He was born in Kyoto Prefecture. His wife Toyoko was an activist of the Freedom and People's Rights Movement and a novelist whose pen name was Shikin SHIMIZU. His eldest son Yoshimasa married Sumie, who was the second daughter of a historian Taira SHIDEHARA, and his second son Yoshishige KOZAI is known as a Marxian philosopher. An astronomer Yoshihide KOZAI is the eldest son of Yoshimasa and his wife Sumie (accordingly he is Yoshinao's legitimate grandchild).
Brief Personal History
In 1886, he graduated from Komaba Nogakko (Komaba Agricultural School, which is the predecessor of the Faculty of Agriculture at Tokyo University).
In 1889, he became a professor at Tokyo Noringakko (Tokyo Agricultural and Forestry School, which is also the predecessor of the Faculty of Agriculture at Tokyo University).
In 1890, he became an associate professor at the College of Agriculture, Tokyo University.
In 1895, he went to Germany to study at Leibniz University.
In 1899, he earned a doctorate in agriculture.
In 1900, he became a professor at the Department of Agriculture, Tokyo University.
In 1920, he assumed the office of the president of Tokyo University.
In 1925, he was re-elected the president.
Achievements
He verified the pollution by copper through an investigation of Ashio Copper Mine Mineral Pollution Incident and galvanized public opinion from the viewpoint of the peasants.
During the Russo-Japanese War, he participated in the emergency agricultural policy.
He spearheaded reconstruction of the university which was severely damaged by the Great Kanto Earthquake, which occurred during his presidential term at Tokyo University.