Invitation to the Public Memorial for Dr. Jinzaburo Takagi
Anti-Nuclear Scientist and Activist

Date: 10 December, 2000
Time: 13:00-16:00
Place: Hibiya Kokaido,
Tokyo, Japan

Dr. Takagi left us on 8 October 2000. His funeral was held quietly with a small number of people very close to him attending. We have planned a public memorial for all those others wishing to bid farewell to Dr. Jinzaburo Takagi, an individual of rare intelligence and strength of character.

The public memorial, "Remembering Jinzaburo Takagi--Aiming for a Peaceful and Sustainable Future," will be held on 10 December 2000. We envision the memorial to be comprised of speeches, classical music, and many private conversations--ranging from vivid memories of Dr. Takagi to heated discussions on future plans for the realization of peaceful and sustainable societies.

We will be glad to make any arrangements which would be necessary for you to attend the memorial. For further information, contact Gaia Hoerner at CNIC.

A Call for the Establishment of the Jinzaburo Takagi Fund for Citizen Science ("Takagi Fund")

November 1, 2000

Anti-nuclear power movement leader Jinzaburo Takagi passed away on October 8, 2000. An advocate of science for the citizens, Takagi worked unrelentingly, even after falling ill, to foster young researchers and build a citizens' movement in accordance with his belief. While his passing has been an incalculably huge loss to us, we cannot afford the time to just continue grieving. It is incumbent upon us to carry on with and further develop Takagi's noble aims and achievements. On this matter Takagi left the accompanying document, The Takagi Fund Concept and My Purpose, which might be considered his "last will and testament." His main points are:

(1) His entire estate (about 20 million yen) is to be the first fund.
(2) His funeral should be restricted to close relatives. Instead of a large funeral ceremony, hold a "memorial gathering" at which participants would be asked to contribute to the Takagi Fund, and use these contributions as the second fund.
(3) The Fund will have these aims.
1. Monetary support to encourage and foster individual researchers who aspire toward science for the citizens.
2. Monetary support to encourage and foster nonprofit organizations (NGOs) that aspire toward science for the citizens.
3. Helping the development of young Asian researchers.
(4) To select organizations and individuals for grant awards, establish a Selection Committee composed of members who understand the intent as described above.

We are in total agreement with Takagi's concept, and want to establish the Takagi Fund. To that end, on December 10, 2000 we will hold a "Jinzaburo Takagi Memorial Gathering -- For a Peaceful and Sustainable Future" from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm at Hibiya Hall. You are cordially invited to participate in this gathering, at which we hope to receive the greatest amount possible in contributions for the second fund.
Because the Takagi Fund and the Citizens' Nuclear Information Center are separate organizations, a director of one organization shall not double as a director for the other. As nonprofit organizations working to achieve science for the citizens, the Takagi School and CNIC would be grant candidates.

Committee for the Establishment of the Takagi Fund
Hiroyuki Kawai, Representative

Establishment Committee members: Nobuyuki Sakai, Fusako Shiba, Mycle Schneider, Kuniko Takagi

P.S. People who are unable to attend the Memorial Gathering can make fund contributions through the following bank account.

Asahi Bank, Ichigaya Branch
Ordinary deposit account 1221981
Hiroyuki Kawai, Takagi Fund Representative

The Takagi Fund Concept and My Purpose (Excerpt)

Jinzaburo Takagi
July 10, 2000

Pursuant also to the intent of my attorney Hiroyuki Kawai, I decided to write this memorandum in order that the social endeavor I have began with the establishing of Takagi School will be more clearly defined and sustained so that, when social activism is no longer possible for me, and after I am gone, there will be some means of carrying through with my purpose.

Brief Background Information

Since the founding of the Citizens' Nuclear Information Center (CNIC) in 1975, a major challenge has been not just to individually build and fashion science for citizens, but at the same time to develop CNIC into a venue at which to practice that citizen science as a system. Although the work of meeting that challenge was somewhat hastened by my illness, it was with great delight for me that my first objective was more or less attained when CNIC was incorporated as a nonprofit organization in September 1999.
As the next stage of this endeavor, we must take another bold step toward the second objective, and in fact the initial part of that step was already taken in 1998 with the establishment of the Takagi School. I will not go into the details of the Takagi School here. Although it has made partial progress toward the second objective, which is training the next generation of people who will practice science for the citizens, I have been thinking of establishing the "Takagi Fund" as a more practical and functional means.
This is an immense project, and in due time I shall have to ask others to take care of it, but it will be meaningless unless I myself map out the basic plan while I am still living.

My True Intent

From what I have seen of many "memorial funds" and the like that are created after their namesakes died, they are usually set up by associates in remembrance of their namesakes, and do not directly reflect their namesakes' purposes, so that, even though they begin with a respectable amount of money, fund management difficulties emerge within a decade. Because they are strongly characterized as memorials to the distinguished achievements of certain individuals, it is impossible for them to last longer than that unless they enlist the support of a sponsor such as a major newspaper.
My idea is different. While I have done nothing worthy of being called "distinguished achievements while living," I feel I have a capacity for action not found in the "eminent and prestigious" with respect to efforts having a long-term perspective sufficient to make a mark in society even after my passing, especially with respect to the concrete, practical, and realistic intent I have for the advancement of nonprofit organizations. That, I believe, has made me what I am today, and I feel that by persevering in that direction I can live out my life while being true to myself. While it is asking much of those who will carry on with this work after I am gone, I beg of them to grant me this one last indulgence.