Otojirō Itō

(June 3, 1891 – December 26, 1971) was an early pioneer in Japanese civil aviation. He is known for establishing the Ito Aircraft Research Center, training a number of new pilots, and for the development of Japanese-made aircraft.

Biography

Itô was born in 1891 in southern Osaka. He worked for the Sadojima Firm after finishing primary school, but gained an intense interest in aviation after seeing a motion picture about the Wright Brothers when he was 17.

In September 1909, after reading an article about the new biplane developed by Sanji Narahara, Itô wrote a letter to Narahara pleading to be employed as a pilot. He continued to maintain a correspondence with Narahara for many years.

Itô continued to pursue his interest in aviation while still working his old job, and in 1910 traveled to Tokyo. There, he became an unpaid worker at Sanji Narahara’s short-lived Tokyo Aircraft Manufacturing, assisting Narahara as his pupil.

In November 1915, Itô finished construction of an airplane named after himself and his hometown, the “Itô-Emi Type 1.” On January 8, 1916, Itô flew his aircraft over Tokyo, making him famous among Japanese aviators. In 1930, Itô established the Japan Light Aircraft Club and appointed Sanji Narahara as club president, which contributed to the spread of lighter-than-air aircraft in Japan. Although he had put his energy into farming, Itô willingly agreed to sell his land, and was among the first to sign a contract with the airport organization.

Afterwards, Itô put his energy into the establishment of the Civil Aviation Memorial in Inage Seaside Park. The journals and written records that Itô left behind were eventually used by author Hiragi Kunio. On December 26, 1971, Itô died at the age of 80.