Hiroshi Aoki

Hiroshi Aoki, Who Pioneered Businesses Between Japan and the US, Dies at 91.
Hiroshi Aoki who passed away on December 24, 2018 at the age of 91, will be remembered publicly as a successful businessman, promoter of art, music and social services to the Japanese community.
Hiroshi Aoki was born in Nagoya, Japan on November 8, 1927. He was the seventh and the youngest of the siblings. He was valedictorian of the graduating class of the Economics Division of Nagoya University. Soon after joining Mitsui & Co of Japan, he was selected to become one of six of this company to open Mitsui offices in the US. In preparation for this, the company sponsored him to attend summer school at Columbia University in 1953, where he had his first encounter with Americans passionate about Japanese culture. He then spent a year at Indiana University to study English. To learn more about the US, he and his other young Mitsui buddies bought a used car and drove it across the country - from NY to LA . In 1954, he, together with Mr. Yano opened the Mitsui Los Angeles office. That same year, he met Toshiko Yamaguma, the love of his life, whom he married in 1955 at the Senshin Buddhist Church. His two children, Chiye and Minoru were born while he was stationed in LA. In 1961, he returned with his family to Tokyo, to continue his work with Mitsui. By 1967, he was back in the US, this time to head the lumber and pulp department of the LA branch and in 1972, to transfer to the NYC branch of Mitsui & Co (USA). He then became the CEO of Mitsui Leasing Company in 1982, a position he held until his retirement in 1992. Some of the memorable business success stories that he shared with his children include the introduction of Charlie the Tuna to Japan, Brazilian rosewood to the US and Japan, Asahi Beer to the US, leasing of airplanes and brokering commercial payload space for the NASA Space Shuttle program.
After retirement, he united his life-long passion for music, art and literature by beginning to contribute regularly to the Chunichi Shimbun-New York and the NY Cultural Chronicle column of OCS News, a newspaper for the Japanese community in NY and Japan. He used these venues to alert the Japanese community of events at Metropolitan Museum of Arts, MOMA, Lincoln Center, among many others that he considered hidden treasures of New York City. His articles provided the historical perspectives and personal commentaries. A collection of his contributions to newspapers, together with Toshiko's art inserts, became published as the book in 2006, titled Flower Thief In New York (New York No Hana Nusubito). All proceeds of this book were donated to JASSI (Japanese American Social Services, Inc). In addition, he served as the NY representative of the Ise Cultural Fund, which enabled young promising artists to exhibit their works at the Ise Gallery in SoHo.
Since 1992, Hiroshi Aoki served as a Board member of JASSI, a not-for-profit organization established in 1981 that provides an array of social services to the Japanese community in the tri-state area. From 1994 to 2018, he served as this organization's Chair. He devoted many hours to fund raising activities, using his network of Japanese CEOs located in Manhattan. He, together with his Board members, is credited for providing the leadership to sustain JASSI through the financial crisis that swept through the global financial market following the collapse of the Lehman Brothers in 2008.
He is survived by Toshiko, his wife, a son, Minoru, a daughter, Chiye, daughter-in-law Terrie Aoki, son-in-law Keith P. Purpura and five grandchildren, Max Takito Aoki, Aelish Suzu Aoki, Tyler Sola Aoki, Mari D. Purpura and Wes Toshiro Purpura. His ashes were buried at the Rose Hills Memorial Park & Mortuaries in Whittier, California on January 19, 2019.