Japanese Literary Awards

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Takashi Okuma

おおくま たかし

Okuma Takashi

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1942-08-01 （Taipei City, Taiwan）
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese
Residence History
Taipei (birthplace) → Takamatsu (resettled in childhood) → Chiba City (long-term residence / regarded as hometown) → Niigata City (main residence and activity base)

Career

Occupations
River engineer, Civil engineer, University professor, Researcher
Active Years
1967-
Affiliations
Niigata University (Professor Emeritus), NPO Niigata Mizube no Kai (advisor), Nature Conservation Society of Japan (advisor/participant), Yamba Ashita no Kai (representative convenor)
Memberships
Japan Society of Civil Engineers (member; served as chair of the Committee on History of Civil Engineering), Nature Conservation Society of Japan (participant/advisor)
Influenced By
Hiroshi Takahashi, Kōichi Aki
Influenced
Local resident-activists and environmental movement leaders, Younger river engineering researchers and students

Education

University of Tokyo, Faculty of Engineering
Faculty of Engineering / Department of Civil Engineering
Degree: 学士（工学）
Period: 1963-1967
Year of Graduation: 1967
Country: Japan
Undergraduate thesis on torsion of steel members under axial force; specialized in applied mechanics.
University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Engineering
Graduate School of Engineering / Civil Engineering (river engineering)
Degree: 修士（工学）
Period: 1967-1969
Year of Graduation: 1969
Country: Japan
Studied river engineering under Hiroshi Takahashi.
University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Engineering
Graduate School of Engineering / Civil Engineering (doctoral program)
Degree: 博士（工学）
Period: 1969-1974
Year of Graduation: 1974
Country: Japan
Doctoral thesis: 'Empirical research on changes in flood control and flood damage in the Tone River'.

Awards

Niigata Nippo Cultural Award
2008
Organization: Niigata Nippo
Result: 受賞
JSCE Publication Culture Award (FY2018)
2018
Work: How Three Generations of River Engineers Viewed Rivers: Aki Koichi, Hiroshi Takahashi, Takashi Okuma and 150 Years of Modern River Administration (contributed/edited volume)
Organization: Japan Society of Civil Engineers
Result: 受賞
Mainichi Publication Culture Award
2020
Work: Reconsidering Floods and Water Disasters: A Shift in Views on Nature and Coexistence with Rivers
Organization: Mainichi Shimbun
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Changes in Flood Control of the Tone River and Flood Damage

1981 Academic (river engineering / river history)

An empirical study of flood control and flood damage in the Tone River, analyzing historical changes in flood management. Notable for emphasizing social and local perspectives in addition to technical analysis.

flood controlhistory of flood disastersTone Riverriver administration

A River History of Floods and Flood Control: From Containment to Acceptance

1988 Academic / river history

Traces the history of floods and flood control and argues for a shift from the conventional perspective of 'controlling' disasters toward coexistence with rivers and a changed view of nature.

history of floodsflood control thoughtcoexistenceshift in perception of nature

Rivers Made by Rivers, Rivers Made by People

1995 Popular non-fiction / scholarly popular

A general-audience work describing how rivers are shaped by natural processes and human activities, presented through history and on-site descriptions.

nature and humanslocal historyriver culture

Technology Has Autonomy Too: Tradition and Modernity of Flood Control Technology

2004 History of technology / social history

Discusses the relationship between tradition and modernization in flood control technology and argues that technology also contains forms of autonomy rooted in local communities and societies.

history of technologyautonomyflood control technology

Reconsidering Floods and Water Disasters: A Shift in Views on Nature and Coexistence with Rivers

2020 General / academic

Critically examines recent views on floods and flood management and advocates for a coexistence-based approach rather than reliance solely on dams. Emphasizes local residents' perspectives and a shift in the perception of nature.

perceptions of floodscoexistence-based flood managementcommunity participation

Bibliography

  • Changes in Flood Control of the Tone River and Flood Damage (University of Tokyo Press, 1981)
  • A River History of Floods and Flood Control: From Containment to Acceptance (Heibonsha, 1988; reprint 2007)
  • Rivers Made by Rivers, Rivers Made by People (Poplar Publishing, 1995)
  • Technology Has Autonomy Too: Tradition and Modernity of Flood Control Technology (Nōbunkyo, 2004)
  • Reconsidering Floods and Water Disasters: A Shift in Views on Nature and Coexistence with Rivers (Nōbunkyo, 2020)
  • History of Japanese Civil Engineering (co-author, Bappodo, 1994)
  • Modern Technology that Controlled Rivers (editor, series on Modern Japanese Technology and Society, 1994)
  • Rethinking Dams in Japan (co-author, Iwanami Booklet, 1995)
  • Gifts from the River (co-author, Tokyo Shoseki, 1997)
  • Riverside Democracy (contributor, AtWorks, 2008)
  • Rivers as Social Commons (co-editor, University of Tokyo Press, 2010)

Adaptations

  • Film 'Living in Aga' (served as representative of the production committee)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Empirical and descriptive style that does not rely heavily on formulasAccessible prose emphasizing local residents' perspectivesAnalysis that interweaves history of technology and social history
Recurring Motifs
relationship between rivers and peopleflood control and coexistencelocal autonomy and community participationtradition and modernization of technology

Legacy

Recognized for bridging academic river engineering research and local resident movements, introducing resident-centered and coexistence perspectives into flood control history and policy. In addition to university teaching and research, his work through NPOs, local institutions, and publications has influenced public debate.

Museums

  • Water Station 'View Fukushimagata' (Honorary Director) Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture, Japan
  • Niigata City Lagoon Environment Research Institute (former director) Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture, Japan

Academic Societies

  • Japan Society of Civil Engineers
  • Nature Conservation Society of Japan (participant/collaborator)

Archives

  • Niigata University, Faculty of Engineering / University Library holdings
  • Niigata City Lagoon Environment Research Institute archives

In Popular Culture

  • Involved as representative of the production committee for the film 'Living in Aga'

Trivia

  • Devoted to soccer for three years in high school and experienced winning a prefectural tournament.
  • Married while in graduate school; his wife was a junior from high school.
  • Passed the national civil service exam (upper level) but chose to continue to doctoral studies.
  • Served as an expert on the residents' side in litigation related to the Kajikawa and Ota River floods.
  • Was involved as representative of the production committee for the film 'Living in Aga' (1992).
  • Has been active in opposition to the Yamba Dam and has worked in cooperation with local resident movements.