Download - 17 Years with Mr. Miyazaki

Transcript
Page 1: 17 Years with Mr. Miyazaki

17 Years with Mr. Miyazaki

It is with warmth and true fondness that I remember Tugio Miyazaki. Ours was a working relationship for about 17 years, but it was also a friendship which I believe we both enjoyed and valued. It was to him I turned when my job with the university I was working for in Tokyo changed in 1982. In order to remain in Japan I needed a formal working contract, something which I believe Japan Scientific Societies Press had not, until then, offered anyone. He and his col- leagues granted me this arrangement and our mutual efforts contin- ued even after I returned to the United States at the end of 1989.

I well remember the first speech Miyazaki had to give in India at the time the international group on scholarly publishing was getting started. Since it had to be given in English he asked my help, but what a job it was for him !.. first, to write it in Japanese, describing what he felt was important about Japan’s experience in that area, and then translating it into English so that I could help him to refine the wording. We labored many hours over that-but I think he felt it was successfully received by his audience. Thereafter he moved farther and farther into this valuable international work-and he told me with modest pride about his television experience and other events in which he had been involved when we met on the occasions I returned to Japan-most recently four years ago.

Because of the time difference between our two countries, his telephone calls with regard to questions he might have had on a manuscript I had returned to him or something he planned to send me often came about. lo:30 in the evening (which was his morning).

121

Page 2: 17 Years with Mr. Miyazaki

122

I was always so happy to hear his familiar voice and it was rare when his wonderful sense of humor was not displayed.. .his laugh was infec- tious and I shall never forget it.

It was my privilege to have been a very small part of those years of his life and to meet his good wife, Yoko, about whom he spoke so often. His references to his daughters were also frequent and I believe I remember that one or both of them shared his deep love of music.

I am honored to have been permitted to share these thoughts with others who held him in high regard.

Jane Clarkin