Toshio Kuroda

It is with deepest sadness that the Japanese Organization for International Cooperation in Family Planning (JOICFP) announced the death of its President, Prof. Toshio Kuroda, at the age of 97.

Prof. Kuroda was certainly the world’s most senior and experienced demographer. He was the first in Japan to take a holistic approach, considering demography as more than just numbers but valuing the human aspect as well. Prof. Kuroda was an inspiration to many and remained active right up to his death, on 30 December 2006 in Tokyo.

Born in 1909, Prof. Kuroda graduated from the Department of Economics and Commercial Sciences, Nihon University in 1936 and gained a Ph.D. in Economics from Keio University in 1974. It was in 1947 that he began population research and study, at the relatively late age of 37. His interest in the field was supported by great mentors such as Prof. Philip Hauser, Chicago University; Prof. Frank Notestein, Princeton University, and Prof. Alfred Sauvy, Director, INED.

During his career, Prof. Kuroda received several awards, including Emeritus titles from several universities. Yet the most prestigious recognition bestowed upon him was the United Nations Population Award, which he received in 1997.
Prof. Kuroda was known in particular for his extensive research in population studies, including migration, urbanization, fertility, population environment and ageing. He was a prolific writer and penned numerous books and articles on population, longevity, migration and population structures.

Among others, he was assigned as Government representative to United Nations Population Commissions, expert adviser for Asian parliamentarian’s meetings on population and served as adviser to several Japanese population study groups and NGOs. Since JOICFP’s inception in 1968, Prof. Kuroda was appointed adviser, also serving on the organization’s Board of Directors. He was elected JOICFP’s Chairman from 1999 and President since 2003.

Prof. Kuroda is survived by his wife Shizuko Kuroda and two daughters. His last message was delivered only two days before his death, at a year-end gathering of JOICFP staff. He told the gathering that 2007 would be a year of challenge and that the secret of longevity was to remain ever curious about new information and findings.