Obituary: John M. Maki, professor emeritus of Political Science
John M. Maki, 97, of Hadley, professor emeritus of Political Science, died Dec. 7 at SunBridge Care and Rehabilitation.
Born in Tacoma, Wash., he received his bachelor’s and master’s degree in English literature at the University of Washington in 1932 and 1936, respectively.
During World War II, he served with the Foreign Broadcast Intelligence Service of the Federal Communications Commission and in psychological warfare planning with the Office of War Information.
Immediately after the war, he served in the occupation of Japan with the government section of GHQ, Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, as part of a staff of American civil servants and military personnel who effectively wrote the Japanese Constitution.
After his service in Japan, he earned a doctorate in political science at Harvard in 1948 and joined the faculty of the University of Washington, where he taught until 1966, when he accepted an appointment as professor of Political Science at UMass Amherst.
During his 24 years on the faculty, he chaired the Asian Studies Program and also served as vice dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. He was also the first president of the New England Conference of the Association of Asian Studies.
He was leader of the local chapter of the American Association of University Professors and served as presiding officer of the Faculty Senate and president of the campus chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. He also chaired the campus’s United Way campaign.
He was the author or translator of nine books and co-author of one. Most of his work concerned Japanese politics and government, but his 2002 book, “William Smith Clark: A Yankee in Hokkaido,” was a biography of the third president of Massachusetts Agricultural College who was invited to Japan in 1876 to start an agricultural college, which evolved into Hokkaido University.
Maki was active in the establishment of a sister university relationship with Hokkaido University. In 1976, Hokkaido University recognized him with an honorary doctorate of laws.
He retired from the faculty in 1980.
In 1983, he was awarded the Third Class Order of the Sacred Treasure by the emperor of Japan in recognition of his effort to promote relations between the U.S. and Japan. He continued his work in that area by helping forge a 1987 sister-state agreement between Massachusetts and Hokkaido.
In 1986, Hampshire Community United Way recognized him as its volunteer of the year.
He was a “founding father” of the Retired Faculty Association.
In 1999, his service to the campus was recognized with a Chancellor’s Medal during Homecoming.
His wife, Mary, died in 1990.
He leaves two sons, John A. of Bothell, Wash., and James P. of New Bedford; and a granddaughter, Jessica.
Remembrances may be made to the UMass Amherst Library Archive Fund for the preservation and restoration of archives.
December 12, 2006.
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