Photo Courtesy of Stephanie Estice
Ohio State professor emeritus of political science Bradley Richardson received the Order of the Rising Sun from Japan last month, the second most prestigious award given from Japan's emperor.Japan's Order of the Rising Sun is a national honor given to recognize service to the country, and it is the second most prestigious award from the emperor of Japan. On Dec. 8, Bradley Richardson, 80, professor emeritus of political science at Ohio State, received this honor for his career in Japan-Ohio relations.
"The Japanese government bestows [the Order of the Rising Sun] awards to those who have contributed greatly to the nation and the public in politics, business, culture and the arts," said Herb Weisberg, chair and professor of political science at OSU.
Originally interested in government and economics, Richardson studied Latin, French and Spanish at Harvard University. But war changed his plans when he was required to serve in the U.S. armed forces during the Korean War.
He enrolled at a Navy Officer school, went to Korea, and then was re-stationed in Japan.
In Japan, Richardson met his wife and made many close friends, and it was then that he realized the nation's global importance.
"Even though it has no resources, Japan is the second biggest economy in the world after the U.S. and heavily involved with trade with us and many other countries," Richardson said. "It is also our most important overseas political ally in a world that is changing every day because of China's and India's growth and so many 'hot' spots of terrorism and small country instability."
After his military service, Richardson enrolled in a Ph.D. program at the University of California to study Japanese and political science. After graduating, he became a professor at Ohio State, which had received $800,000 in 1982 to improve the Japanese studies program.
Richardson "helped develop our graduate program in comparative politics, teaching hundreds of graduate students in these courses, and helping start the careers of important young scholars of Japanese and East Asian politics," Weisberg said.
Later, Richardson became the director of the Institute for Japanese Studies at OSU, and was the creator of the Japan-America Society of central Ohio. Both organizations aim to educate Ohioans about Japan's culture, economy and government. He also was the Honorary Japanese Consul General in Ohio for five years. It was his work with these institutions that made Richardson eligible for the Rising Sun honor.
Richardson is the third American scholar to receive the Order of the Rising Sun, second class.
Samantha Smith can be reached at smith.5839@osu.edu.
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