Tadao Tannaka
# Tadao Tannaka

Tadao Tannaka (淡中 忠郎, Tannaka Tadao, December 27, 1908 – October 25, 1986) was a Japanese mathematician who worked in algebraic number theory.

## Biography

Tannaka was born in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture on December 27, 1908. After receiving a Bachelor of Science in mathematics from Tohoku Imperial University in 1932, he was appointed a lecturer in the university in 1934 and received a Doctor of Science degree from the university in 1941. He was promoted to assistant professor in 1942 and full professor in 1945. Tannaka was a member at the Institute for Advanced Study from September 1955 to April 1957. Tannaka retired from Tohoku University in 1972, after which he served as a full professor at Tohoku Gakuin University until 1981.

Tannaka was an editor of the Tohoku Mathematical Journal and a member of the board of directors of the Mathematical Society of Japan. Tannaka was also in charge of the "Mathematics Chat" article series in the monthly Mathematics for Universities [jp] magazine from 1960 onwards.

Tannaka died in Tokyo on October 25, 1986.

## Research

Tannaka is known for developing the theory of Tannaka–Krein duality, which generalizes Pontryagin duality to noncommutative compact groups and led to the development of Tannakian formalism.

## Awards

Tannaka was a recipient of the Order of the Rising Sun (3rd Class) in 1980.

