Katsuhiko Oku

Katsuhiko Oku (奥克彦 Oku Katsuhiko, January 3 1958 - November 29 2003) played rugby for Oxford and Waseda University.

Character and Life

A very popular and dynamic personality, he later became a diplomat and was sent from the Japanese embassy in London to Iraq where he was killed by unknown assailants with the interpreter Masamori Inoue and their Iraqi driver when their car was ambushed on November 29 2003. He was promoted posthumously to ambassador in recognition of his work by the Japanese foreign ministry (Gaimusho).

Katsuhiko Oku made a point of visiting many countries and finding out what the local people wanted. He saw it as the first duty of a diplomat.

Charitable fund

A charitable fund has been set up in his name for the children of Iraq and a collection at the 2004 Oxford-Cambridge Varsity Match went towards that fund. Proceeds from the recent game in Japan between Waseda and Oxford (which Waseda won for the first time ever) also went to the fund, and the game was called the Katsuhiko Oku Memorial match. It was played on September 20 2004 and Waseda won 25-9. The average weight of the forwards was Oxford 107kg, Waseda 99kg. The record now stands at one win, one draw and ten losses.

Mr. Katsuyuki Kiyomiya, the coach of Waseda's highly successful rugby team 2001-6, was a friend of Mr. Oku, and is a trustee of his memorial fund in Japan. Together they invented a slogan "ULTIMATE CRUSH".

See also

* Anglo-Japanese relations
* Japan Rugby Football Union
* Waseda University Rugby Football Club

External links

*The Oku-Inoue fund for the children of Iraq (English version)
* Waseda University Rugby Football Club (in Japanese)
* Oxford University Rugby Football Club