On Saturday, February 7, 2026, our great mentor and dear friend, Professor David J. Farber, passed away at the age of 91.
Throughout his illustrious career, Dave nurtured countless leaders of the computer science and Internet communities in the United States. While I consider myself but one of his humblest students, I was incredibly fortunate to have known him since the dawn of computer networking in Japan. From our early days of guidance to our collaboration on trans-Pacific connectivity, and finally, to the realization of my long-held dream of inviting him to Keio University—where we served together as Co-Directors of the Cyber Civilization Research Center (CCRC) at KGRI—the deep bond we shared was a source of unexpected and profound happiness in my life.
Our journey began when Dave visited Japan alongside Mark Horton of UUNET and Professor Larry Landweber of CSNET, just as we were launching JUNET. Even before then, Dave had maintained close friendships with my seniors, Professor Hiroshi Inose of the University of Tokyo and Professor Hideo Aiso of Keio University. It was through these connections that he first took me under his wing with such kindness.
In the early days of interconnecting with CSNET, Dave and I worked together from the University of Tokyo to run MMDF for email exchange over X.25. Later, when we implemented SLIP with Professor Hideyuki Tokuda of CMU, we faced the constant thrill of technical uncertainty. In those days, a simple mail loop could lead to exorbitant packet-based charges, forcing us into the "thrilling" routine of somehow justifying telecommunication costs to our universities.
Yet, despite the risks, we were driven by a singular spirit: "We want to connect the world." The researchers of that era were truly united by this mission. Dave and I were, in every sense, brothers-in-arms.
The challenge of international communication costs was eventually resolved thanks to another of Dave’s close friends, Professor Inose. He appointed me, then a research assistant at the University of Tokyo, to lead the email component of an NSF project providing access to Japanese databases via leased lines. I proposed to Professor Inose—a staunch advocate for OSI and international standard protocols—that we use X.25 bandwidth where "terminals and email could coexist." By running IP over X.25, we successfully interconnected the WIDE domestic IP network with the CSNET IP network. This became the foundation for the stable interconnection of the Internet in Japan.
By the late 1980s, as the WIDE Project was gaining momentum, I was still in my 30s and holding the title of research assistant. Breaking through the thick walls of regulation and bureaucracy to connect Japan to the world was an immense struggle. It was then that I made a proposal to Dave, Larry, and Vint Cerf: "In the U.S., you may be understood, but in Japan, we have struggled tremendously just to allow universities to connect freely overseas. To ensure that not only Japan, but all of Asia and the world, can interconnect, can we not create an organization with the necessary authority?"
Their response was immediate: "Jun, we will create a corporation called the Internet Society (ISOC). Will that work?"
Thus, in 1991, the Internet Society was born. In appreciation of their efforts, the WIDE Project hosted INET’92 in Kobe—the first ISOC international conference of its kind. Throughout the birth of the Japanese Internet, Dave’s powerful support and encouragement were always there.
I know that the reason Dave loved Japan and stayed by our side was not solely due to our friendship. He also had a profound love for Japanese cuisine. We unashamedly made use of this fact, patiently inviting him until we finally welcomed him to Keio University in 2018 as a Distinguished Professor and Co-Director of the Cyber Civilization Research Center (CCRC).
Since then, he mentored three or four new generations of students with genuine warmth and closeness. As a place dedicated to studying the entirely new civilization born from technology, I believe the name "Cyber Civilization Research Center" was a fitting home for Dave’s final years of work.
As this new civilization continues to evolve, we will never forget our gratitude to Dave Farber, nor will we forget his passion, which remained undiminished until his very last day.
Dave, please continue to watch over us as we, who have inherited your wisdom, forge the path into the future.
Thank you, Dave. Rest in peace.

February 2026
Jun Murai
Founder, WIDE Project