6.4 Remarks on the Irreplaceable Role of Sakurada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
6.5 Polymers in the War Times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
6.6 A Fresh Start After World War II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
1 Introduction
The timing was superb. Their visit brought a sort of “Staudinger effect” on the
polymer activities just taking off in Japan (see Sect. 6). According to the remaining
documents, the following account is why and how it happened.
Professor and Frau Dr. Staudinger visited Japan in the cherry blossom time in
1957, 4 years after his Nobel Prize. Keikichi Arai, the Secretary General (one of the
founding directors) of the Society of Polymer Science, Japan (SPSJ) left a detailed
report on this historic event. According to his note, Professor Staudinger had the
idea to come to Japan on the occasion of his 77th anniversary. In the Asian custom,
this is a happy occasion to be celebrated by family and friends. His desire was
forwarded to the SPSJ through Eiji Ochiai (his former research associate), who at
that time was the president of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan. A tentative
schedule was proposed by the SPSJ committee that included a minimum amount of
official duties: two main lectures, one in Tokyo and the other in Osaka, and a couple
of visits to textile companies. The rest of the days were mostly open to enjoy more
relaxing events of the flowery season. The plan was favorably supported by the
textile and plastic industries, which were just recovering from the huge damage
suffered during World War II.
2 Official Duties
2.1 Lectures and the Impact
Professor Dr. and Frau Dr. Staudinger arrived at Haneda Airport on April 1st, 1957.
The lecture in Tokyo was held on April 5th (Fig. 1). The large auditorium of
Tokyo University could not accommodate all the attendants, leaving more than
1,000 people out on the campus under cherry flowers. In the lecture entitled “Die
macromolekulare Chemie, ein neues Gebiet der organischen Chemie,” Staudinger
emphasized that the origin of macromolecules must be sought in organic chemistry.
The physical and chemical properties of polymers were, however, determined not
only by the internal structure of molecules, but more significantly by their spatial
configuration, such as size and shape. Although most of the participants were
already very familiar with his views on “macromolecules” as well as with the
140
A. Abe
6.5 Polymers in the War Times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
6.6 A Fresh Start After World War II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
1 Introduction
The timing was superb. Their visit brought a sort of “Staudinger effect” on the
polymer activities just taking off in Japan (see Sect. 6). According to the remaining
documents, the following account is why and how it happened.
Professor and Frau Dr. Staudinger visited Japan in the cherry blossom time in
1957, 4 years after his Nobel Prize. Keikichi Arai, the Secretary General (one of the
founding directors) of the Society of Polymer Science, Japan (SPSJ) left a detailed
report on this historic event. According to his note, Professor Staudinger had the
idea to come to Japan on the occasion of his 77th anniversary. In the Asian custom,
this is a happy occasion to be celebrated by family and friends. His desire was
forwarded to the SPSJ through Eiji Ochiai (his former research associate), who at
that time was the president of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan. A tentative
schedule was proposed by the SPSJ committee that included a minimum amount of
official duties: two main lectures, one in Tokyo and the other in Osaka, and a couple
of visits to textile companies. The rest of the days were mostly open to enjoy more
relaxing events of the flowery season. The plan was favorably supported by the
textile and plastic industries, which were just recovering from the huge damage
suffered during World War II.
2 Official Duties
2.1 Lectures and the Impact
Professor Dr. and Frau Dr. Staudinger arrived at Haneda Airport on April 1st, 1957.
The lecture in Tokyo was held on April 5th (Fig. 1). The large auditorium of
Tokyo University could not accommodate all the attendants, leaving more than
1,000 people out on the campus under cherry flowers. In the lecture entitled “Die
macromolekulare Chemie, ein neues Gebiet der organischen Chemie,” Staudinger
emphasized that the origin of macromolecules must be sought in organic chemistry.
The physical and chemical properties of polymers were, however, determined not
only by the internal structure of molecules, but more significantly by their spatial
configuration, such as size and shape. Although most of the participants were
already very familiar with his views on “macromolecules” as well as with the
140
A. Abe