Toru Takahashi

Writer of the first Japanese book on the Internet, Takahashi is sometimes known as the "Mother of the Internet" in Japan. He was instrumental in bringing the Internet to Japan and promoting it throughout Asia in the 1990s, and was key to the early commercial development of the Internet. A graduate of Tohoku University where he majored in Fine Arts History in 1964, he joined the Laboratory of Innovation for Quality of Life (LIQOL), a think tank, in charge of VideoTex (NAPLPS) marketing after working in the publishing world as an editor and writer for 18 years.

In 1986, he moved to Digital Computer Limited (DCL), and was assigned to be a Project Manager of UNIX workstations and incubation of high-speed LAN using PROTEON routers. In 1987, Takahashi studied the Internet and served on the Board of Directors of the Japan UNIX Society (jus). In 1988, he visited NSF after the ARPANET crash to see Stephen Wolf and learn about the Internet.

From 1989–1992, he organized a technical tour group to visit INTEROP every year with Jun Murai. It was there that Takahashi met Vint Cerf, Dan Lynch, Dave Clark, and so many Internet people. He attended INET 91 Copenhagen, and then became involved in organizing an INET92 Kobe committee. He has been an ISOC pioneer member and has served as a member of the ISOC Jon Postel Service Award Committee from 2002 to 2005.

He wrote the first Japanese book on the Internet. In December 1993, when Professors Ishida and Jun Murai formed the Internet Association of Japan, he was assigned to be secretary general of IAJ. In 1994, Takahashi served as President of the Tokyo Internet Corporation, which was an organized UNIX users group. In April 1995, Tokyo Internet launched its ISP business and became the biggest in Japan.

In 1998, he was elected to be chairman of the APNIC Executive Council, where he helped with the search for the next Director General, Paul Wilson. A member of CORE, Takahashi attended the first ICANN meeting in Boston. He has served as a Professor of the Tama Art University Information Design Division from 2000–2002. He has been a member of several governmental committees, mostly in MIC and METI, and was awarded by MIC for his contribution to the development of the Internet in Japan and the Asia Pacific region.