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 Since late last year it seems that I've continuously lost
good friends-one after another. It is a sad but inescapable fact for a 77-year-old
man like me. The latest on the list is Professor
Yoneo Ishii who passed away on 13th February 2010 in Japan.
Professor Ishii was my first Japanese friend, and he had
been a good friend for almost half a century. He was a vital figure in the Thai
Studies and Southeast Asian Studies circles. He had a profound love for and
understanding of Thai culture. He had wanted to live in the Thai kingdom and to
study the Thai language since he was very young. He sat on an entrance
examination and got accepted by the Japanese ministry of foreign affairs. Given
his impressive capability and diplomatic skills, he was highly rated by his
superiors. They asked him where he would like to be posted abroad. They thought
Ishii would choose the US or England. To their surprise, Ishii said he wanted
to work in the Thai kingdom.
When he was working at the Japanese embassy in Bangkok he
received the permission to undertake Thai language study at the Faculty of
Arts, Chulalongkorn University. He eventually became the favorite disciple of
Phya Anumanrajadhon. When we celebrated the centennial anniversary of Phya
Anuman's birth Professor Ishii helped us to hold an exhibition of his late teacher's
life and work at the National Museum of Ethnology, Osaka. Professor Ishii also
gave a keynote address on this occasion.
To better understand Thai culture Professor Ishii believed
it was necessary for him to be ordained as monk for one rain retreat (3 months).
At first he wanted to be ordained at Suan Mokh. But Ajarn Buddhadasa Bhikkhu
replied to his letter that there were many good temples in Bangkok for him to ordain as monk for a short
period. He finally got ordained at Wat Boworniwes in 1957. Although the Prince
Vachirayarnvong did not serve as his spiritual teacher, the former regularly
asked about the Japanese monk.
Ishii did not want to be a lifelong diplomat. He left the
ministry of foreign affairs and furthered his studies. Eventually he became
professor at Kyoto University and director of its Center of Southeast Asian
Studies (CSEAS). He was influential in developing its staff and library. CSEAS
soon became world class-comparable to Cornell University.
He asked my wife who represented Suksit Siam bookstore to help
him find good books in the Thai, Lao, and Khmer languages for the CSEAS
library. My wife also recommended him to buy cremation volumes from Charas
Pikul. The library bought thousands of volumes from Charas-there's a Charas
Collection at CSEAS. Professor Ishii had to ask librarians from Thammasat
University and Bangkok Bank to help sort out and catalogue the Thai books at
the library.
Professor Ishii wrote many academic books and articles in
Thai, Japanese and English. Some were co-authored with his students and Thai
friends.
When he completed
his term as director of CSEAS, Ishii moved to Tokyo. At first he worked at
Sophia University. Then he became president of Kanda University. He was also
the chair of the Japan UNESCO National Commission from 1998-1999. His final
position was president of the National Institutes for the Humanities.
He had always been gentle and friendly to me and my family. On
his recommendation, the International House of Japan invited me to Japan
several decades ago. It was my first trip to that country. He kindly acted as
my personal guide during the trip. In return, I asked him where he wanted me to
take him around in the Thai kingdom. He had lived in the Thai kingdom for many
years and had travelled extensively throughout the country. He responded that
he wanted to see Maeklong. Although it is located near Bangkok, it was quite
difficult to get there decades ago. So Maeklong it was. We sailed on the river
and admired temples on the banks approvingly.
The passing away of Professor Ishii is a major loss for me
and my family. The Thai country and Thais interested in Japanese and Southeast
Asian Studies will miss him dearly.
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Photo from: http://www.kyoto-u.ac.jp/en/profile/president/speech/images/051125_25b.jpg
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