Takeshi Amemiya, Econometrician and Scholar of Ancient Greece, Died at 90

Takeshi Amemiya, the Edward Ames Edmonds Professor of Economics, emeritus, at Stanford University, died at his campus home on February 24, 2026. He was 90.

Born in Tokyo, Japan, Amemiya earned his PhD from Johns Hopkins University in 1964. He joined Stanford's economics department as an Assistant Professor in 1965, beginning a distinguished 41-year career that would cement his reputation as one of the most influential econometricians of his generation. He retired in 2006.

A scholar of remarkable breadth, Professor Amemiya made contributions to econometric theory while simultaneously pursuing his passion for the economy of ancient Greece.

His contributions to the field earned him numerous prestigious honors, including Fellow of the Econometric Society, Fellow of the American Statistical Association, Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Fellow of the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, and the U.S. Scientist Award from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

Those who knew Professor Amemiya remember him as someone who found joy in research, teaching, and scholarship. His warmth, intellectual generosity, and devotion to his family left an indelible mark on colleagues, students, and loved ones alike.

To learn more about his life, work, fascination with ancient Greece, and deep affection for his family, read his interview with Econometric Theory.