RIP Dr Yasuho Izawa 1943-2024

It is with great sadness to acknowledge the death  in Japan earlier this year of Dr Yasuho Izawa 伊沢保穂, 81 years of age, pioneer Japanese military aviation archivist, veteran researcher and friend. It has been a privilege to enjoy over 24 years of correspondence with Dr Izawa, a kind, generous and always supportive soul. 

Dr Izawa was born in Tokyo in 1943 and pursued a professional career in Ophthalmology, graduating from the Tokyo University department of medicine in 1970 and opening his own ophthalmic clinic in Mitaka, Tokyo in 1986, which later relocated to Kisshouji, Tokyo. He was esteemed as a gentle and kind doctor in treating the eyes of his patients, especially contact lenses and the treatment of diseases caused by microorganisms after operations. Such was his reputation that patients at the Mitaka clinic even continued to commute to his Kisshouji clinic after he had relocated. In July this year, his son Dr Hidetomi Izawa took over the clinic and continues its work.

In addition to his busy professional life as Ph.D and MD Dr Izawa pursued a passionate interest in historic aviation, especially Japanese military aviation, publishing many more articles and books over the years than he is known for in English, the latter notably the seminal IJN Units and Aces and IJAAF Units and Aces books. In addition to Japanese aviation he had a great interest in the aircraft and aces of the First World War with an impressive depth of knowledge about those too.

As an example of Dr Izawa's thoughtful kindness. in 2001 in response to a query about Hiko Dai 25 Sentai a letter and package arrived from him ‘out of the blue’ consisting of the original pages of an AiReview magazine article he had written in the early 1970s about the unit and its predecessor 10th IFC, drawing on interviews and input from the unit's veterans. In addition to the artwork and profiles in the package there were copies of photographs, descriptions and sketches from the unit's veteran pilots. But the jewel in the crown of that precious and treasured gift was his carefully typed, complete English translation of the article and captions. In the following years he very kindly shared various full English translations of his book manuscripts, including those on Rikko and Ginga operations and units, Japanese Army Heavy Bomber Units and the Fighting Records of Japanese Bombers and reconnaissance Planes 1914-1941  In generously sharing photographs for publication he would send a CD Rom with complete descriptive details. Only recently he had completed two new and revised volumes on JAAF Units and Aces published by Dai Nippon Kaiga in Japan in 2022 and 2024 respectively. In our correspondence he was enthused about including newly discovered aces and his chapter on ‘Who shot down Shinohara?’, always interested and interesting, always enthusiastic, always generous in imparting knowledge. 

Dr Izawa paid me one of the nicest compliments I have ever received about my Osprey books and a compliment which in the interests of transatlantic diplomacy should remain undisclosed. There are two main passions apparent in the contemporary pursuit of historic Japanese aviation, a passion for self promotion and a passion for simply sharing the passion within a mutual enthusiasm. Dr Izawa freely shared his passion, his knowledge and his extensive archive within a mutual enthusiasm, always responding with patience, insight and kindness to questions seeking clarification or the confirmation of details, even to visiting the Defence Ministry library on my behalf to resolve some queries about the operations and aircraft of 254 Ku on the China coast. I shall always be deeply grateful to him for his friendship, generous help and treasured correspondence and shall never forget his many kindnesses over the years which I have never been able to reciprocate to the extent they deserved or which I wished. 

'He who leaves the fame of good or great works after him does not die'

(an Arab proverb quoted by Major C S Jarvis, late Governor of Sinai, in 1946)