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FY2022
The Ogata Sadako Memorial Gallery Opened – Revisiting her Achievements to Promote Human Security

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access: 10min. walk from Ichigaya Station, JR Chuo/Sobu Line 10min. walk from Ichigaya Station Exit A1, Tokyo Toei Shinjuku Line 8 min. walk from Ichigaya Station Exit 6, Tokyo Metro Yurakucho/Nanboku Line
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The Ogata Sadako Memorial Gallery Opened – Revisiting her Achievements to Promote Human Security

2022.05.23

On March 28, 2022, JICA Ogata Sadako Research Institute for Peace and Development (JICA Ogata Research Institute) opened the Ogata Sadako Memorial Gallery on the first floor of the JICA Ichigaya Building in Tokyo.

Human security has been one of JICA’s core missions since when Ogata Sadako served as the president of JICA from 2003 to 2012. Through her roles as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the co-chair of the Commission on Human Security, Ogata contributed greatly to both the establishment of the concept of human security and its implementation through JICA’s programs. JICA Research Institute, founded in 2008 under the initiative of Ogata herself, changed its name to JICA Ogata Sadako Research Institute for Peace and Development in 2020 in the hope to accelerate its contribution toward human security for peace and development.

The Ogata Sadako Memorial Gallery walks us through Ogata’s life

The Ogata Sadako Memorial Gallery walks us through Ogata’s life while dividing it into a few periods based on where she was active, such as academia, UN agencies and JICA. Actual achievements and stories from these periods are displayed. The gallery also shows the concept of human security and the process of its establishment, and actual efforts by JICA in this area. The Digital Library to view publications by Ogata and her video footage is available as well. In addition, at the Interactive Learning Zone, visitors can learn further about Ogata and human security by answering quizzes as well as leaving messages on what they have learned and felt in the gallery. English explanation is provided for the exhibits.

On the day of the opening, an opening ceremony started with remarks from Kitaoka Shinichi, then President of JICA. Kitaoka first said that this gallery was founded as a place to commemorate Ogata, who left a major mark in both humanitarian aid and international cooperation and contributed to establishing the concept of human security and implementing it at the field level. He pointed out that human security, which is one of the themes of the exhibition, is often seen as a vague concept but the idea at its core is clear; all humans have the right to live with dignity and the international community should support this. What is more, what human security means should evolve with time responding to the changes in global atmosphere. Based on this perspective, he noted that in 2019, JICA announced Human Security 2.0, which is a renewed concept of human security in today’s global context. Kitaoka concluded by saying that he hopes many people who visit this gallery would aspire to become the “Ogata Sadako of the next generation.”

The tape-cutting at the opening ceremony

As a response, Takahara Akio, executive director of JICA Ogata Research Institute, commented that the core identity of JICA Ogata Research Institute was provided when Ogata’s name was added to its name. He said that with the completion of this gallery, he feels as if Ogata is spurring the institution to work hard for the realization of human security.

The remarks were followed by a tape-cutting ceremony by Kitaoka, Takahara and others.

Makino Koji, director general of JICA Ogata Research Institute, led the initiative to build this gallery. Based on his experience devoting himself to the promotion of human security at JICA when Ogata was the president, Makino recalled how Ogata often asked him whether he had gone to each site to check the situation with his own eyes back then, reflecting that this was the origin of JICA’s hands-on approach. He put his wish to have visitors feel Ogata’s energy and passion into the gallery.

No reservation is needed to visit the Ogata Sadako Memorial Gallery. Along with JICA Global Plaza, a hub for citizen-participating international cooperation, which is already open in the JICA Ichigaya Building, please feel free to drop in. (Note: opening hours may change depending on the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic.)

- Opening Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
- Closed during the year-end and new year holidays
- Admission Fee: free