We are deeply saddened to announce that Dr. Suguru Yamaguchi, a member of the Board of Directors of JPCERT/CC, passed away on May 9, 2016.

JPCERT/CC has this week lost a significant person. He was a trusted peer with whom we shared many good times and difficult times. He was a cherished companion we could speak with openly. As a mentor, he often challenged us. He was the leading figure in JPCERT/CC' s establishment, serving as the first Board Chairman. He has left tremendous contributions to the development of the CSIRT community throughout the world. We are deeply saddened to announce that Dr. Suguru Yamaguchi passed away on May 9, 2016, taken from us too soon at the age of 52.

It is 20 years since JPCERT/CC' s establishment, and it is the fruition of Dr. Yamaguchi' s dedication to research and operations towards a safe and reliable Internet. Without Suguru, it would have taken much longer to create the first CSIRT in the Asia Pacific region.

As a Professor at the Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST), Dr. Yamaguchi was also a passionate mentor for future generations. At the same time, his activities never remained limited to Japan, with his leadership just as impactful in the global community. He served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams (FIRST), as a mentor of CSIRTs in the Asia Pacific region, and in recent years, sharing his years of experience with the African continent.

He was known for being straightforward and ingenuous, but we all knew, behind that were his tender, caring concern for others. In honor of his memory, we will carry over his spirit, and rededicate ourselves towards a society where everyone can live securely. Our condolences go out to his family and to all who were touched by his extraordinary talents.

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