Adv Polym Sci (2013) 261: 139–150
DOI: 10.1007/12_2013_232
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013
Published online: 6 November 2013
Staudinger’s Footprints in Japan During
His 30-Day Visit in 1957
Akihiro Abe
Abstract Professor and Frau Dr. Staudinger made an epoch-making visit to Japan
in the cherry blossom time in 1957, 4 years after his Nobel Prize. Japan was
gradually recovering from the damage of World War II. In accordance with the
strong demand from industry, research activities on polymeric substances became
popular in major national universities. Through various contacts, including two
major lectures in Tokyo and Osaka, they left an impressive lesson on “what science
is all about” for young researchers in this new field.
Keywords Appreciating the essence of Japanese culture Á Lectures on
macromolecular concept Á Short reunion Á Staudinger effect Á Visiting Emperor
Hirohito
Contents
1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
2 Official Duties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
2.1 Lectures and the Impact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
2.2 Who Carried Out the Mission to Promote Public Awareness
of the Macromolecular Concept in Japan? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
3 Off-Duty Days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
4 Short Reunion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
5 Epilgogue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
6 Polymer Activities in Japan in Those Times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
6.1 Early Polymer Activities in Japan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
6.2 Rise of the Polymer Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
6.3 Polymer Activities Around the 1920–1930s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
A. Abe (*)
Tokyo Institute of Technology, 6-27-12 Hiyoshi-Honcho, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama 223-0062,
Japan
e-mail: aabe34@xc4.so-net.ne.jp
DOI: 10.1007/12_2013_232
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013
Published online: 6 November 2013
Staudinger’s Footprints in Japan During
His 30-Day Visit in 1957
Akihiro Abe
Abstract Professor and Frau Dr. Staudinger made an epoch-making visit to Japan
in the cherry blossom time in 1957, 4 years after his Nobel Prize. Japan was
gradually recovering from the damage of World War II. In accordance with the
strong demand from industry, research activities on polymeric substances became
popular in major national universities. Through various contacts, including two
major lectures in Tokyo and Osaka, they left an impressive lesson on “what science
is all about” for young researchers in this new field.
Keywords Appreciating the essence of Japanese culture Á Lectures on
macromolecular concept Á Short reunion Á Staudinger effect Á Visiting Emperor
Hirohito
Contents
1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
2 Official Duties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
2.1 Lectures and the Impact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
2.2 Who Carried Out the Mission to Promote Public Awareness
of the Macromolecular Concept in Japan? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
3 Off-Duty Days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
4 Short Reunion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
5 Epilgogue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
6 Polymer Activities in Japan in Those Times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
6.1 Early Polymer Activities in Japan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
6.2 Rise of the Polymer Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
6.3 Polymer Activities Around the 1920–1930s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
A. Abe (*)
Tokyo Institute of Technology, 6-27-12 Hiyoshi-Honcho, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama 223-0062,
Japan
e-mail: aabe34@xc4.so-net.ne.jp