Tribute to Heisuke Hironaka

IHES has learned with deep sadness of the passing of Heisuke Hironaka, a leading figure in contemporary mathematics and recipient of the Fields Medal in 1970 for his fundamental contributions to algebraic geometry.

Heisuke Hironaka shared a special history with the Institute and the French mathematical community. As early as 1959, he was the first foreign visitor welcomed to IHES—a tradition of international openness that continues today, with nearly 200 visitors from around the world each year.

In 1962, he delivered a series of landmark lectures in Paris, shortly before the Institute’s permanent move to Bures-sur-Yvette, on the Bois-Marie campus.

Jean-Pierre Bourguignon, Nicolaas Kuiper Honorary Professor and former Director of IHES, recalls the active engagement of Heisuke Hironaka in supporting the collaboration of IHES with the Japanese mathematical community, much enhanced by the creation of the “Japan Fund at IHES”, enabling regular visits by Japanese mathematicians.

Our thoughts are with his family, his loved ones, and the Japanese and the international mathematical community.

Read the interview with Heisuke Hironaka that was published at the occasion of the 40th anniversary of IHES in 1998 here.

Read Heisuke Hironaka‘s speech given at the occasion of his Légion d’honneur ceremony here.

Read the condolence letter from the French President Emmanuel Macron to Wakako Hironaka, widow of Heisuke Hironaka, and Eriko Hironaka, daughter of Heisuke Hironaka, in French here.

Read Jean-Pierre Bourguignon‘s tribute to Heisuke Hironaka here.

Read Shigefumi Mori‘s tribute to Heisuke Hironaka here.

Read Yoshinori Namikawa‘s tribute to Heisuke Hironaka here.

Read Kyoji Saito‘s tribute to Heisuke Hironaka here.

Read Bernard Teissier‘s tribute to Heisuke Hironaka here.

Read Yusuke Yasuda‘s, Toru Yosano‘s and Yoshiaki Maeda‘s tribute to Heisuke Hironaka here.

Crédit photo : Jean-François Dars