A message from Professor David E. Weinstein:
It is with profound sadness that we share the news of Professor Takatoshi Ito’s passing. Taka was the director of the Program on Public Pension and Sovereign Funds at the Center on Japanese Economy and Business (CJEB) at Columbia Business School and a professor at the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) at Columbia University.
Taka was a giant in the field of international macroeconomics. He authored the definitive book on the Japanese economy that trained generations of students and scholars, along with countless research articles, policy reports, working papers, and op-eds, and actively shaped discourse in the field through his editorial oversight. His contributions to our understanding of Japan’s economy and to policy earned him two imperial medals: the National Medal with Purple Ribbon and the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon. He collaborated extensively on academic, government, and private sector projects in Japan, the United States, and worldwide, with institutional commitments spanning decades and transcending national borders. He has left an indelible mark at CJEB through the programming he helped shape at the Center—notably his annual lecture on the Japanese economy, the Program on Public Pension and Sovereign Funds, and the Japan Economic Seminar—as well as the network of thought leaders he introduced to our audience. He was beloved by the CJEB faculty, staff, Visiting Scholars, sponsors, and indeed our entire constituency, particularly Columbia’s student and alumni community. I will remember him most as a mentor, good friend, and colleague throughout my entire academic career. He was a gentleman and a scholar, and he will be sorely missed at Columbia, at CJEB, and in the world of economics.
David E. Weinstein
Director
Center on Japanese Economy and Business at Columbia Business School
Carl S. Shoup Professor of the Japanese Economy at Columbia University