Mr. kaheita Okazaki was born in Okayama Prefecture in 1897. Despite experiencing much hardship in his early years, he graduated from Okayama Junior High School and subsequently attended Daiichi Senior High School in Tokyo and the Law Department of the Tokyo Imperial University. He graduated from the university in 1922 and started working for the Bank of Japan.

During his work, he was posted in Berlin and Shanghai and thus personally experienced the rapid changes in the world situation. This made him realize the importance of international association and friendship with other countries. Far from being concerned only about the gains and losses of an individual country, enterprise or person, Mr. Okazaki perceived matters from an international standpoint and maintained an overview of the future of mankind. This manner of thinking, which symbolizes Mr. Okazaki’s beliefs, stemmed from his various experiences from those early days.

　　After World War II, he moved to the business field and devoted himself to the postwar rehabilitation of Japanese industry and the promotion of new technological developments. In 1952, he participated in the establishment of Japan Helicopter and Aeroplane Transport Co., Ltd., the predecessor of All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd. From 1961 to 1967, he served as the president of All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd. and left a huge mark in the development of the air transport system in Japan.

　　Mr. Okazaki had been mainly concerned about relations with Japan’s neighboring country, China, from way before the war. Following his visit to Beijing in 1962 as the Trade between Japan and the People’s Republic of China(LT Trade), he became even more deeply involved in improving the relationship between Japan and China. As a result of a meeting with Prime Minster Zhou Enlai, he was able to establish a personal channel of communication with the country’s leadership and was thereby able to contribute even further to improve the relationship between the two countries.

　　He was also committed to establishing friendly relations and mutual understanding with nearby Asian countries. He took every opportunity to voice this commitment and was an active supporter of many movements.

　　Mr. Kaheita Okazaki made great contributions in various social fields, but he was always modest, never showing any sign of arrogance. Although he constantly pursued what he believed in, he responded to people’s words with sincerity. His personality has been deeply engraved in the minds of many thousands of people. Mr. Okazaki lived all his life with the fresh and passionate vitality of youth. His personality and energy with which he conducted his business are revered even now by all.