Inazo Nitobé

Inazo Nitobé (1862-1933) was a Japanese politician, diplomat, economist, writer, and educator who sought to act as an ambassador between Japan and Western nations. He was born in Morioka, Japan, and converted to Christianity while studying in Sapporo. He was educated at the University of Tokyo and, in 1884, was one of the first Japanese to study in the United States.
After the First World War, Nitobé became Under-Secretary-General of the League of Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, a position he held until 1926. Later, he returned to Japan, where he held government positions and was president of the Institute of Pacific Relations.
He was a prolific author, having published several academic books as well as books for the general public, and contributed hundreds of articles to newspapers and magazines.
Nitobé was given a state funeral in Japan attended by thousands. His name is recognized and respected as an internationalist, for having contributed to Japan's transition to a modern society, as a pioneering educator, and as a spiritual man.