Mr Kon was the Managing Director of the Japan Family Planning Association (JFPA) from 1954-1963. He was the Secretary General of JFPA from 1966 until 2001, when he was elected President.
He is acknowledged as a pioneer who has played an important role in conceptualising and implementing a framework of education and extension programs for family planning in Japan throughout the entire course of its development.
Mr Kon was involved in a parasite eradication campaign conducted in 1951, and since then has advocated and developed programs for parasite control for better maternal and child health to assist with poverty alleviation.
At the time of JFPA’s foundation in 1954, Mr. Kon took charge of editing ‘Family Planning’, a journal for family planning education, also leading on publicity activities. In addition, he managed the training program when the national accreditation system for instructors for the praxis of birth control began, and was also actively engaged in the cultivation of human resources for promoting family planning in Japan.
Mr Kon was also a founder member of the Japan Organisation for International Cooperation for Family Planning (JOICFP) founded in 1968 as an executing organization for international development. JOICFP has received a significant amount of recognition for its contribution to international cooperation and were consequently awarded the United Nations Population Award in 2001. Mr. Kon’s knowledge and inspirational leadership over many years contributed greatly to this award.
Under Mr Kon’s leadership, JFPA also engaged in advocating for legislation for maternal and child health. In this endeavor, JFPA played the lead role in co-ordinating related bodies and organisations to repeatedly petition for change. This resulted in the enactment of such legislation in 1961. In all of these processes, Mr. Kon has been involved as a key figure, and his experience-based ingenuity in both operations and development has been passed to today’s staff members of JFPA, who seek to continue Mr Kon’s spirit.
Mr Kon has, since the inception of JOICFP, been instrumental in the successful resource mobilization negotiations with the Japanese government on behalf of IPPF. These significant efforts have been of benefit to the entire Federation.
In recognition of the above, and of many years dedicated service, IPPF present Mr Yasuo Kon the award for Individual Contributions to Sexual Health and Rights.
Dr J S Sharpe
PresidentInternational Planned Parenthood Federation
21 November 2009