Dr. Michio Hashimoto was appointed as the first Director of the Pollution Division of the Ministry of Health and Welfare in 1964 and consistently devoted himself to pollution and environmental administration until his retirement from the Environment Agency in 1978. During the high economic growth period, he was at the forefront of anti-pollution measures and committed to the creation of an anti-pollution policy system. After retiring from the Environment Agency, he became a professor at the University of Tsukuba, where he taught younger generations and contributed to international cooperation activities in the field of environmental conservation. He was active as a leading authority in promoting environmental policies worldwide, holding various positions not only as an expert of WHO’s Health Impact Assessment, vice-chairperson of the IPCC Working Group II and a member of the GEF Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel, but also as an advisor to JICA, UNEP, and other organizations. Beyond 1980, he spearheaded the promotion of environmental cooperation with partner countries and built the solid foundation for today’s overseas environmental development cooperation.
History
