Kakichi Mitsukuri

File:Kakichi Mitsukuri (1857-1909).jpg

Kakichi Mitsukuri

Kakichi Mitsukuri (箕作 佳吉, Mitsukuri Kakichi, January 15, 1857 – September 16, 1909) was a Japanese zoölogist, born at Edo. In 1873 he came to the United States, where he received the Ph.D. degree from Yale in 1879 and from Johns Hopkins in 1883. He was appointed professor in the college of science of the Imperial University of Tokyo in 1882 and councilor of the university in 1893. In 1896 he was made head of the fur-seal commission and signed, on behalf of Japan, a treaty with the United States and Great Britain. In 1901 he became dean of the college of science of Tokyo University, and in 1907 he was decorated with the Order of the Sacred Temple in recognition of public service. In later life his time was largely occupied with administrative duties. He was regarded not only as one of the leading zoologists of Japan, but also as most influential in public life. His most important zoological publications, a series of papers on the embryology of the turtles, appeared at intervals from 1886 to 1896.