Kōrō Sasaki
{{Short description|Japanese politician (1895–1978)}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=November 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2016}}
Kōrō Sasaki ({{lang|ja|佐々木 耕郎}} {{transl|ja|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{{sfn|Ogawa|1983|p=602}} in the city of Morioka in Iwate Prefecture.{{sfnm|1a1=Nikkō Shishi Hensan Iinkai|1y=1979|1p=962|2a1=Tochigiken Rekishi Jinbutsu Jiten Hensan Iinkai|2y=1995|2p=287}} In 1917 he graduated from Takachiho University and found employment with Furukawa Electric.{{sfn|Nikkō Shishi Hensan Iinkai|1979|p=962}} 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{{sfn|Tochigiken Rekishi Jinbutsu Jiten Hensan Iinkai|1995|p=287}} and thereafter took up residence in Nikkō in Tochigi Prefecture.{{sfn|Kōhō Nikkō staff|1978|p=2}} That November he served as president of Betsukura Seisakusho Co. Ltd. and hired employees who had been laid off from Furukawa.{{sfn|Tochigiken Rekishi Jinbutsu Jiten Hensan Iinkai|1995|p=287}}
Sasaki served on the Tochigi Prefectural Assembly from April 1951 to July 1953.{{sfnm|1a1=Ogawa|1y=1983|1p=602|2a1=Nikkō Shishi Hensan Iinkai|2y=1979|2p=962}} Following the death of the mayor of Nikkō, Toshijirō Itō,{{efn|{{lang|ja|伊藤敏次郎}} {{transl|ja|Itō Toshijirō}}}} Sasaki ran for and won the position in July 1953.{{sfnm|1a1=Tochigiken Rekishi Jinbutsu Jiten Hensan Iinkai|1y=1995|1p=287|2a1=Nikkō Shishi Hensan Iinkai|2y=1979|2p=878}} He remained mayor until 27 August 1969.{{sfn|Ogawa|1983|p=602}} He oversaw the transition of Nikkō into {{illm|an independent municipality|ja|単独市制}}, a process begun under Itō, which involved a merger with Okorogawa.{{sfn|Kōhō Nikkō staff|1978|p=2}} He then became the first mayor of the new municipality on 11 February 1954.{{sfn|Ogawa|1983|p=602}} During his time as mayor Sasaki focused on such health and social welfare issues as human waste treatment facilities, garbage incinerators,{{sfn|Ogawa|1983|p=602}} and the development of Nikkō as an international cultural tourist destination.{{sfn|Nikkō Shishi Hensan Iinkai|1979|pp=962–963}} He was made an honorary citizen of Nikkō on 11 February 1971.{{sfn|Nikkō Shishi Hensan Iinkai|1979|p=962}}
Sasaki was dedicated to social education and served as president of the Tochigi Boy Scout Association{{efn|{{lang|ja|ボーイスカウト栃木連盟}} {{transl|ja|Bōi Sukauto Tochigi Renmei}}}} and the Tochigi Prefecture Skating Association.{{efn|{{lang|ja|栃木県スケート連盟}} {{transl|ja|Toshigi-ken Skēto Renmei}}}}{{sfn|Nikkō Shishi Hensan Iinkai|1979|p=962}} Sasaki died at 05:15{{sfn|Kōhō Nikkō staff|1978|p=2}} on 1 October 1978{{sfn|Ogawa|1983|p=602}} at age 83 at {{illm|Dokkyo Medical University Hospital|ja|獨協医科大学病院}}. He was appointed to the Senior Sixth Rank of the Imperial Court.{{sfn|Kōhō Nikkō staff|1978|p=2}}
Notes
{{Notelist}}
References
{{Reflist|colwidth=20em}}
=Works cited=
{{Refbegin|colwidth=40em}}
- {{cite newsletter
|author = Kōhō Nikkō staff
|title = Kōhō Nikkō
|script-title = ja:広報にっこう
|publisher = City of Nikkō
|date = November 1978
|url = http://opac.city.nikko.lg.jp/nikko/manage/contents/upload/00003_20110309_3666.pdf
|format = PDF
}}
- {{cite book
|editor = Nikkō Shishi Hensan Iinkai
|title = Nikkō shishi
|script-title = ja:日光市史
|language = ja
|volume = 3
|year = 1979
|publisher = City of Nikkō
|oclc = 23312744
}}
- {{cite book
|editor-last = Ogawa
|editor-first = Shōgo
|title = Nihon no rekidai shichō: shisei shikō hyakunen no ayumi
|script-title = ja:日本の歴代市長
|language = ja
|volume = 1
|year = 1983
|publisher = Rekidai Chiji Hensankai
}}
- {{cite book
|editor = Tochigiken Rekishi Jinbutsu Jiten Hensan Iinkai
|title = Tochigiken rekishi jinbutsu jiten
|script-title = ja:栃木県歴史人物事典
|language = ja
|year = 1995
|publisher = Shimotsuke Shinbunsha
|oclc = 675601028
|isbn = 4-88286-064-3
}}
{{Refend}}
{{Portal bar|Biography|Japan|Politics}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:20th-century Japanese businesspeople
Category:Mayors of places in Tochigi Prefecture
Category:People associated with Scouting