Speakers

Mr. GODBOUT PhilippeDassault Systèmes K.K.
Managing Director

Philippe Godbout started his career as CAD/CAM/CAE application engineer. He acquired deep knowledge of the Aerospace and Automotive Industries during his 20 year working in different positions at Dassault Systèmes. He currently leads JAPAN geo as Managing Director and focuses on building a healthy and creative organization engaging in the market transformation in Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Healthcare segments. Philippe holds a Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Master degree from Universite de Sherbrooke (Canada).

Ms. KOHNO MiyaCisco Systems G.K.
Japan SP Operations
Distinguished Systems Architect

I started my career as a software developer. I currently work for Cisco Systems, primarily in technical support, architecture exploration, and consulting for service providers. My areas of expertise are distributed computing, network system architecture, and mobile systems.
I received the MPLS Japan Award in November 2021 and was featured in the April 2022 Nihon Keizai Shimbun's "The Age of Technologists.

Mr. HASHIMOTO YoshihisaZIKU Technologies, Inc.
CEO

I was a game director/technical director at Sega and CTO at Square Enix, involved in the development of the Sonic series and Final Fantasy series. An AI-based meeting record service "Logmeets" has been officially introduced to more than 250 local governments nationwide and a lot of companies. In addition to the area of business improvement, I am also active in diverse fields such as education, welfare, translation, and disaster prevention.

Mr. MATSUMOTO KunikazuFujitsu Limited
Senior Evngelit

Joined Fujitsu Limited in 1991. He has worked in 16 divisions and 42 departments in the information, telecommunications, and mobile industries, where he was involved in a variety of tasks ranging from software and hardware design to product and business planning, sales promotion, and sales support.
Currently, he is working as a senior evangelist, making the most of his diverse work experience. He has been active in a wide range of media, including magazines, newspapers, the Web, and radio, introducing IT and DX, speaking with celebrities such as Akira Ikegami, Keiko Yashiro, and Kazu Laser, writing for magazines and academic journals, and lecturing at high schools and universities.

Mr. MURATA YoshihiroJapanese Culinary Academy
Honorary Chairman

Honorary President, Japanese Culinary Academy (NPO)
Representative Director, KIKUNOI Corporation
President, ALL JAPAN FOOD ASSOCIATION
Vice President, Washoku Japan
Vice Chairman, Shokudanren (Japan Federation of Food and Beverage Organizations)
Chairman, Japan Geographical Indication (GI) Council
Ambassador of Japanese Heritage
Goodwill Ambassador for the promotion of Japanese cuisine
After graduating from Ritsumeikan University, he trained at ""Kamome"" ryotei restaurant in Nagoya.
1976 Opened ""KIKUNOI Kiyamachi""
1993: Appointed Representative Director of KIKUNOI Co.
2004 Opened ""Akasaka KIKUNOI""
2005 Began offering ""Hanagoyomi"", an in-flight meal on Singapore Airlines.
2012 Awarded ""Outstanding Worker (Contemporary Master Craftsman)"" and ""Kyoto Industrial Merit Award
2013 Kyoto Prefecture Cultural Award for Distinguished Service
2014 Awarded Regional Person of Cultural Merit (Art and Culture)
2017 Awarded Commissioner for Cultural Affairs, Agency for Cultural Affairs
2018 The 5th Niigata International Award for Food, Sato Fujisaburo Special Prize
2018 Selected as a Person of Cultural Merit by the City of Kyoto
2018 Spring Medal with Yellow Ribbon, Spring 2018
2018 Selected as Person of Cultural Merit

Mr. TOMOHIRO YuichiSea Vegetable Company
Co-CEO

Graduate School of Commerce Waseda University, Tomohiro traveled to various rural districts across the country to investigate depopulated areas in Japan.
He established bento shops and accessory brands for women in Miya, Oshika Peninsula Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, after the Great East Japan Earthquake.
He has also initiated a market in Sumida District known as the “Sumida Aozora city Yachaba”.
Working with his co-leader Jun Hachiya, he founded a seaweed business brand; “SEA VEGETABLE” in 2016.
To uncover the previously unknown seaweed food culture, he continues on a journey to investigate the current situation of the Japanese sea.

Mr. KAWASAKI YoshihikoKyoto Fisheries Co-operative　Maizuru Torigaikumiai
Representative

March 1971 Graduated from Kyoto Prefectural Fisheries High School
March 1971 Engaged in fishing (small bottom trawl fishery)
January 1999 Started production of cultured cockles (representative of Maizuru Tori Mussel Cooperative).
Dec. 2005 Started small bottom trawl fishery
May 2012 Discontinued the same fishery
January 2010 Representative of Kyoto Fishery Cooperative Association
August 2008 Member of the Kyoto Sea Area Fisheries Adjustment Committee

Dr. KAWASAKI HiroyaAjinomoto Co., Inc. Institute of Food Sciences and Technologies
Customer Experience Design Group
Executive Specialist

Cooking Scientist and Sensory Scientist. Completed the Doctoral Program in the Graduate School of Agriculture at Kyoto University, earning a Ph.D. in Agriculture. Executive Specialist at Ajinomoto Co., Inc. Director of the NPO Japan Culinary Academy. Specializes in the science of deliciousness and the elucidation of professional cooking techniques. Notable publications include "The Science of Taste and Aroma Secrets," "Designing Deliciousness," and "Research on Broth" (all published by Shibata Publishing), as well as "FLAVOR AND SEASONINGS: Dashi, Umami, and Fermented Foods (THE JAPANESE CULINARY ACADEMY'S COMPLETE JAPANESE CUISINE) " (published by the Japan Culinary Academy NPO), among others.

Mr. KAGA JunyaNTT Communications Corporation
Smart City, Smart World Business
Acting Vice President

In 1995, Mr. Kaga joined Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT). After working on equipment planning and maintenance at NTT EAST, which was established as a result of the transition to a holding system, worked in setting up and operating video communication services at holding companies and NTT Resonant. In 2006, he moved to NTT Communications, where he developed an Internet business strategy, ran an affiliate advertising business, and launched IDaaS services. He has been in office since 2019.

Mr. MINAMIKAWA IchiroKyoto Overseas Business Center
Director

BA in Economics (Northeastern University, US) As a serial entrepreneur, he founded five companies through joint ventures with Recruit and SBI and became their CEO, supported Walmart and other Western companies in entering the Japanese market, and served as an advisor to eight Tech companies in Japan and overseas. He is currently a country manager for a UK payment service company and a director of Kyoto Overseas Business Center, etc.

Dr. DEMARGNE AlbertInnovationRCA
Head of Commercialisation

Albert is an aerospace engineer who combines broad technical knowledge with significant commercial and operational experience of growing start-ups and SMEs, including as a founder and investor. He has developed business for several early-stage technology companies, and delivers consultancy assignments on major engineering programmes, and on commercialisation of innovation.

As Head of Commercialisation, Albert is responsible for the commercialisation of Royal College of Art Intellectual Property, and oversees and helps deliver InnovationRCA’s external incubation programmes, turning ideas into successful businesses. His experience includes raising funds, licensing and establishing partnerships across a wide range of sectors that combine creativity with technology.

Mr. WANGSAPUTRA SamPentaform
CEO

Samuel's initial immersion in industrial manufacturing at his father's Indonesian textile factory, supported by Itochu Corp, sparked his passion for the industry. He furthered his education in the UK, becoming an Industrial Engineer with masters degrees from RCA and an undergraduate degree from CSM. Samuel previously worked with Apple Inc. in Cupertino and chose to found Pentaform instead. Under his leadership, Pentaform secured investments and established a reliable factory network. Samuel's commitment to high-quality manufacturing made affordable is exemplified by his hands-on involvement in every production aspect. His journey showcases a transition from Apple collaboration to Pentaform's entrepreneurial success.

Mr. LEE Joon Sang Pentaform
Co-founder & Chief Financial Officer

Originally from South Korea, he attended a Chinese overseas school before moving to the UK to pursue a degree in Economics and Philosophy at University College London (UCL). During his time at UCL, he founded one of the world's first student blockchain societies. Upon graduating, he gained experience working in investment banks and blockchain enterprises prior to co-founding Pentaform. To date, he has secured $3.4 million in funding for startups and has launched digital services used by a +1 million users.

Ms. BARTHA Lili EvaGN3RA
Founder & CEO

Lili Eva Bartha is an award-winning Digital Fashion and XR specialist, with a scientific and design background (MSc in Applied Mathematics and MA in Fashion Design from the Royal College of Art). She is the founder and CEO of GN3RA, a digital outfit customization platform democratizing digital self-expression for virtual worlds, games and Augmented Reality. Before launching GN3RA, she has assisted fashion, gaming and entertainment businesses to explore the digital space, while researching, lecturing and being artist residencies at a number renown universities and research organizations in New Media worldwide (Future Fashion Factory, University of Arts London, Royal College of Art, SCAD, AUAS).

Dr. KAWASH Ameera Orbital Bloom
Co-founder and Creative Director

Dr Ameera Kawash is an artist, social entrepreneur, and co-founder of Orbital Bloom. Her work intersects sustainability, social practice, and the arts. Her PhD thesis at the Royal College of Art explored how artists can use technological processes to achieve radically different outcomes. She is interested in local and place-based approaches to technological design and sustainability, and additionally MENA/SWANA perspectives.

With her co-founder Shira Wachsmann, she directs Orbital Bloom, a startup that creates data-driven artworks that express and incentivise the sustainability of buildings and cities, drawing from nature-based design and local ecologies.

Mr. YAMASHITA AkimasaKyoto Prefecture,
Vice Governor

Mr. ITO ShigeruGS Yuasa International Ltd.
Power Supply System Development Division
Industrial Batteries & Power Souces Business Unit
Officer / Division Manager

1986 Joined Sanken Electric Co.
Engaged in the development of inverters for motor drives
2009 Appointed as Executive Officer
2018 Appointed as Director and General Manager of Power Systems Division
2021 Appointed as Director of GS Yuasa Corporation. Appointed Representative Director and President of GS Yuasa Infrastructure Systems, Inc.
2023 Appointed General Manager, Power Systems Development Division, to present

Mr. NISHIDA KatsushiKyoto Prefectural Police Headquarters
Cyber Center, Community Safety Department, Director

He was appointed as a police officer in 1986, and worked at the Uzumasa Police Station (now Ukyo Police Station), Uji Police Station, Fushimi Police Station, Police Academy, Juvenile Division, Riot Police, Kyoto Prefectural Board of Education, Crime Victims Support Office, Deputy Chief of Kawabata Police Station, and Chief of Personal Safety Division before being assigned to his current position in March 2023.

Mr. ODA AkiyoshiKyoto Prefectural Police Headquarters
Kinki Regional Police Bureau
Information and Communication Department
Information Technology Analysis Division

In 2009, he was appointed as a technical officer of the National Police Agency.
He worked on the maintenance of information and telecommunications equipment, and from 2013, he began working in digital forensics.
He has experience in analyzing various electronic devices such as PCs and smartphones, as well as malware, and has also been involved in cyber-attack countermeasures.
He has been in his current position since April 2023.

Mr. KINO NobuhiroMinistry of the Environment
Office for Regional Decarbonization Policy
Director

Ministry of the Environment (1996-present)
- Major experience: Chemical Management, Environmental Impact Assessment, Climate Change(International rule making, National strategy/ reduction target/ action plan), etc.
- Current position: since July 2022

Dr. IZUMI NoriakiMinistry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)
"Digital Architecture Development Office
Digital Economy Division
Commerce and Information Policy Bureau"
Director

After working as an assistant professor at the Faculty of Informatics, Shizuoka University (December 1996), a researcher at the Cyber Assist Research Center, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) (April 2002), and a senior chief researcher at the Information Technology Research Division, AIST (August 2009), he became a planning officer at the Information Industry Division, Commerce and Information Policy Bureau, METI (August 2020), and has been in his current position since July 2020.
Doctor of Engineering.

Mr. RAFAEL VALDOMIRO Greca De Macedo Curitiba City, Mayor

Rafael Greca was elected as the Mayor of Curitiba for the third time in 2020. He held various prominent positions, including City Councilor, Constituent State Representative, and Minister of State for Sports and Tourism. As a writer, poet, and history researcher, the mayor is a member of the Academy of Letters of the State of Paraná and the Historical and Geographical Institute of the State of Paraná. He has a bachelor's degree in economics and civil engineering, specializing in urbanism.

Mr. LUIZ FERNANDO De Souza JamurInstitute for Research and Urban Planning of Curitiba
Municipal Secretary of the City Government of Curitiba and President of the Institute for Research and Urban Planning of Curitiba

Since 2017, Mr. Luiz Fernando de Souza Jamur has been the President of Institute for Research and Urban Planning of Curitiba (IPPUC) and the Municipal Secretary of the Curitiba City Government. He served as Municipal Secretary of Urbanism of the City of Curitiba and Secretary General of the City Government. In the State Government of Paraná, he was the General Director of Paraná Public Buildings, an autocracy of the State Government. He holds a Bachelor of Civil Engineering, postgraduate degrees in Public Management and City Management, as well as an MBA in City Management.

Mr. HARADA ManabuCity Government of Himeji (Hyogo prefecture)
Digital Strategy Division Deputy Director General

Mr. Harada joined the City Government of Himeji in 1988. He currently leads digital strategy planning and management as Deputy Director General of the Digital Strategy Division. Mr. Harada served as Manager of the Sewerage Administration Division, Contract Section Manager of the Finance Division, and General Manager of the General Affairs Division, as well as Head of the Information Management Office of the General Affairs Division.

Dr. HAMURA MasakiBoston Consulting Group
Partner & Director

He is a core member of the firm’s Travel, Transportation, Tourism, Cities & Infrastructure, and Public Sector practices. He is also a member of the BCG Center for Global Future City team, a global unit that specializes in building smart cities. Prior to joining BCG, Masaki worked at LINE Corporation as an Executive Officer/VP of Corporate Business Strategy, Twitter Inc. as Head of Brand Strategy for East Asia, and Google Japan as Head of Strategy and Sales Operations. He is Professor at Faculty of Design and Data Science, Tokyo City University.

Mr. KATO masaruPublic private partnership projects research laboratory, Inc.
Public private partnership promotion department
Public private partnership accelerator

In 2004, he joined Morioka City Hall in Iwate Prefecture. In March 2022, he retired as Director of the Planning and Coordination Division of the Mayor's Office, and was appointed to his current position in April 2022.

Mr. TANAKA YoshinoriKYOURYOURI TORIYONE Inc.
Owner

◆Matsuo Onsen Kyoto Cuisine Torime Co., Ltd. Representative Director
◆ Address Earth Representative Director
◆Ski Cross Nakanishi Rin Supporters Association Representative Director
◆Director of Food Space Sanitation Organization
◆Kyoto cuisine and local agriculture, forestry and fisheries products Sustainability Support Project Chairman
◆Kyoto Fish and Sushi Merchants' Association Youth Association Executive Director
◆Kyoto Cuisine Meseikai Vice President
◆National Federation of Meiseikai Project Review Committee
◆NPO Japan Culinary Academy New Business Development Project Chairman, etc.

Mr. ITOI YukiSpread Co., Ltd.
Public Relations Department
Senior Manager

Enetered an advertising company as a fresh graduate, and worked with several major clients including beverage maker and distance education service provider. Was involved in branding and promotion of products and services, such as creative content and communication policies development. After working in foreign affiliated ad company, joined Spread in 2022, and now is in charge of Public Relations Department.

Dr. YAMAMOTO MariNational Agriculture and Food Research Organization
Institute of Food Research
Executive Scientist

In 1986, She completed a master's degree at the Graduate School of Horticulture, Chiba University, and Joined the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. After working at Agricultural Research Center, Chugoku Agricultural Experimental Station, Vegetable and Tea Research Institute, Food Research Institute (Director of Food Function Research Division), Director of Food and Agriculture Business Promotion Center, and Supervisor of Healthcare Creation Research, current position since November 2021. A professor at the University of Tsukuba (PhD Program in Life Science Innovation) since 2015 and the Representative Director of the Self-Care Food Council since 2022. Doctor of Agriculture (Kyushu University) in 1992.

Mr. SUZUKI TakahiroAEON Co.,Ltd
CSR Dept Director

Joined JUSCO Co., Ltd. (Currently, Aeon Co., Ltd.) Accumulated significant experiences through Corporate Secretarial, Business Alliance, and Start-up New Business in the Aeon Group HQ before assigned to work in the Ministry of the Environment (MOE).
After coming back from MOE, currently have a responsible role of formulating and pursuing the mid-and-long term Environmental Strategies of the Aeon Group including “Aeon Decarbonization Vision ”.

Mr. KIYOTAKI ShizuoHESTA Okura. Co., Ltd
Representative Director CEO and COO

In addition to the real estate business, the company is actively expanding its business nationwide, from the development of smart homes and smart products to the healthcare business.
The company is actively involved in regional development, an area in which it has shown great interest, and is promoting the creation of smart cities in various subdivisions, including Satsukidai in Hashimoto City and Sanda in Hyogo Prefecture, by connecting all town functions via the Internet and incorporating the latest technology into the town's functions.
In recent years, the company has developed advanced medical information systems, such as cloud-based electronic medical records and online medical treatment systems, in partnership with medical institutions.

Prof. MANAGI ShunsukeKyushu University
Graduate School of Engineering
Kyushu University Urban Research Center Professor, Department of Urban Systems Engineering
Director of Kyushu University Urban Research Center & Senior Professor

Graduated from Kyushu University Graduate School of Engineering (1999) and Ph.D. from Rhode Island University (majoring in economics). Ph.D. (Economics). After working as a lecturer at South Carolina State University Business School in the United States and an assistant professor in the Department of Symbiosis Science and Technology at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, he has been a professor in the Department of Urban Systems Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu University since 2015. Concurrently serves as a faculty fellow at the Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI). Assistant to the president of Kyushu University since 2020. Member of the 25th Science Council of Japan.

Mr. FURUICHI KanjiNippontelenet corporation
e-concierge preparation room Chief

Graduated from Gakushuin University's Faculty of Economics in March 1956 and joined Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (currently Panasonic Corporation) in April of the same year. Since then, he has held positions such as manager of a home appliance sales company, manager of a service company, general manager of Panasonic Co., Ltd.'s CS division, and president of Panasonic Marketing School.In October 2021, he was appointed manager of the E-Concierge Preparation Office of Nippon Telenet Co., Ltd., and currently holds the position. reach.

Mr. MAKIZONO KeiichiSoftBank Corp.
Head of IT Unit, Product Technology Officer
Executive Vice President & CIO

Keiichi Makizono is currently serving as the Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer (CIO) at SoftBank Corp. He began his career at S&I, gaining SI experience before joining Cisco as an SE Manager. During his time at Cisco, he made significant contributions to the development of the internet in Japan. He joined SoftBank Corp. in 2002 and played responsible a role for network design during the launch of SoftBank’s ADSL broadband business. Since then, he has been at the forefront of various technology teams as a leader, amidst corporate acquisitions such as Japan Telecom and Vodafone. In his current position, he oversees the technical aspects of products such as IT, AI, security, and network.

Ms. NISHIGAKI AtsukoIshikawa Prefecture
Vice Governor

She joined the Ministry of International Trade and Industry in 1991. She has worked on the digitalization of the manufacturing industry and the promotion of industrial design management, and in 2018, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Japan Patent Office issued a "Design Management Declaration". In July 2022, she was appointed Vice Governor of Ishikawa Prefecture, and from October, as CDO, she has been working on the digitalization of the administration of Ishikawa Prefecture and 19 cities and towns in the prefecture, as well as improving prefectural services through the use of data.

Mr. MIYASAKA ManabuTokyo Prefecture
Vice Governor

MIYASAKA Manabu started his carrier at Yahoo Japan Corporation in 1997 before served as Yahoo Japan’s CEO in 2012.
His is promoting the digital transformation of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government as CIO after being named Counselor to the Governor in July 2019 and then Vice Governor of Tokyo in September 2019. He was appointed as a Representative Director at GovTech Tokyo in July 2023.
He is also working on startup strategies and will be directing a global program for startups as the Executive Committee Chairman in May 2024.

Mr. SUZUKI KazuhiroRakuten Group,Inc
Executive Officer

Earned Bachelor of Economics at Keio University. Developed business executives career starting from IBM Japan as a Business Unit Executive, Executive Officer Microsoft Japan, Chairman & Representative Officer Cisco System Japan and joined Rakuten Group as a Senior Managing Executive Officer in April 2022. Acting a secretary of Keizai Doyukai (Japan Association of Corporate Executives) and vice-chairman of the Regional Co-Creation Committee.

Mr. YOSHIMURA TakeshiMayor of Bizen City

Career History
July 1971- Joined Okayama Junior Chamber of Commerce
April 1981- President of Bizen City All-City PTA
April 2004 - Joined Okayama Association of Corporate Executives
January 2006- Chairman of Bizen Jidosha Bizen Driving School
November 2010 - Chairman, Bizen Chamber of Commerce and Industry
April 2011- Chairman, Bizen City Tourism Association
June 2011 - President of Bizen Rotary Club (1-year term)
Feb 2013- Resigned as Chairman of Bizen Chamber of Commerce and Industry
April 2013- Appointed Mayor of Bizen City (1st term)
April 2017- Resigned as Mayor of Bizen City
April 2021- Appointed Mayor of Bizen City (2nd term)

Mr. SUGANO MakotoGoogle Cloud Japan GK
Solutions & Technology, Director

Makoto supports customers' digital transformation, mainly from a technical perspective. Before joining Google, he led the development of the next-generation operating system at Nokia in Finland, and also served as Chief Technology Officer at a Startup. He has worked in multiple organizations on product development, productivity improvement, quality improvement, business development, and organizational setup.

Mr. WALLIN DrewGoogle Japan GK
Google Workspace for Education, Channel Lead - Japan

Drew Wallin leads the Google Workspace for Education partner channel in Japan. He has worked throughout the Google Workspace ecosystem in Japan, both as a partner while leading AppBridge Japan, a Google Cloud tech partner, and within the Google organization in the Cloud engineering and Professional Services teams. Drew was an MEXT Research student at Kyoto University Graduate School of Architecture.

Mr. KOMURASAKI MasashiIkoma City
Mayor of Ikoma

Born on March 25, 1974. Graduated from Hitotsubashi University, Faculty of Law.
Joined the Environmental Agency (currently the Ministry of the Environment) in 1997, studied at the Maxwell School of Public Administration, Syracuse University in the U.S. from 2002, and received MPA (Master of Public Administration) in 2003. In 2011, he became Deputy Mayor of Ikoma City through nationwide recruitment, and was first elected as mayor in April 2015. He is raising his four children.

Mr. TAMURA ShingoCisco Systems G.K.
Public Sector Business Development, Sr.Manager

Joined Cisco's partner sales organization in 2001. Currently, he is leading business development team for Japan Public sector. Prior to the current role, he led sales team for healthcare and education market in Japan.

Mr. HIGASHITANI JiroSoftBank Corp
Solution Engineering Div Public Enterprise Promotion Div Product Technology Div, Director

Joined SoftBank in 2006
Various mobile service infrastructure architects, engaged in service planning
Since 2018, I have been engaged in comprehensive cooperation agreement coordination, platform infrastructure architect, and project management work with local governments

Mr. OSHIMA YoshitakaKPMG Consulting Co. ltd
Business Innovation Unit, Smart City Team, Director

Graduated from Keio University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Completed graduate course at Keio University, Worked at Helsinki University of Technology, Organization Design Office, Tokyo Metropolitan Government, and a think tank before joining KPMG Consulting, Core Member of KPMG Mobility Institute, Member of KPMG Japan Construction Sector, Advisor to Kyoto Smart City Promotion Council, and part-time lecturer at Osaka University of Economics.

Mr. MITERA AyumuMitsufuji Corporation
CEO

I became CEO of Mitsufuji Textile Industry (now Mitsufuji) in 2014 after working for Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. and Cisco Systems etc. We released a wearable IoT product named hamon in 2016. Our efforts to transform the Nishijin textile factory into a wearable IoT business were highly evaluated and I received the 1st Forbes JAPAN SMALL GIANTS Grand Prix in 2018 and the Kyoto Creator Award in 2021. Since then, we have developed various products to solve social issues by utilizing core technologies.

Mr. TSUBOI GoKöLN Co., Ltd.
CEO

I Graduated from Osaka Abeno Tsuji Culinary School.
I Studied baking techniques and culture under the tutelage of long-established bakeries in Osaka and Kyoto, the Japan Baking Technology Institute, and Beckalai & Conditry Meister in Germany, and became the 3rd CEO of KöLN Co., Ltd. in 2013.
""Tsunagupan"" was launched in December 2021, a service to simultaneously reduce food loss and support the socially vulnerable, at all KöLN company-owned stores. This service received the ""Kobe City SDGs Incentive Award"" in 2023.

Ms. NAJAR CarolinaAZTI
Customer Value Debelopment
Food Business Director

Entrepreneur and business connector specialized in the food industry and gastronomy of the national, European and Latin American markets. My professional career has been developed in the Gross Market Consumption Products sector. For 16 years fulfilling different positions within the Management team of the Commercial and Marketing areas. Founding partner of www.baiba.es and investor in different start-ups in the sector. I have mentored for incubation and acceleration programs and am a professor of Marketing at the Camarabilbao University Business School. Since 2021 I have been part of the AZTI Value team.

Mr. CHAN LesterThe GrowHub Innovations Company
CEO

Lester is the CEO of The GrowHub, a technological firm focusing on transparency in supply chain management, and data analytics. He spearheads the strategy of the company, working with government stakeholders, universities, and businesses to drive innovations in Asia Pacific. His previous background includes investment banking, management consulting, and fund management. He used to teach finance as an adjunct with the Singapore Management University. Lester holds a post-graduate certificate in real property valuation from the University of British Columbia and an MBA from the Singapore Management University. He received his Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from the National University of Singapore.

Ms. YOSHITOMI Megumi AvigailJapan Association for Cellular Agriculture
Representative Director

Megumi Avigail Yoshitomi is the Representative Director of the Japan Association for Cellular Agriculture (JACA). JACA is an industrial group based in Japan that focuses on policy-making to make food products produced by cellular-agriculture technology sellable in Japan. JACA has c.57 membership companies, mainly domestic food and industrial majors, but also includes overseas players such as Aleph Farms and Forsea Foods from Israel. JACA communicates with Ministries, politicians, existing meat industry players, consumer organizations, and business operators interested in this area. JACA administers the "Cellular Agriculture Working Team" under the Food-tech Public-Private Council, hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries. Megumi is one of the advisory boards for the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry’s strategy to promote the biotechnology industry in Japan. Megumi is awarded Forbes Japan 30 Under 30 in 2020.

Mr. TANAKA HirotakaSIGMAXYZ Inc.
SKS JAPAN Organizer / Co-author of "Foodtech Revolution"

Prior to joining SIGMAXYZ, he worked at Panasonic and McKinsey. He specializes in strategy development, new business development and execution, marketing, M&A, partnerships, venture cooperation, etc. He has a deep knowledge of food/culinary trends and players in the food industry, and has appeared in numerous lectures, seminars, panel discussions and media outlets both in Japan and abroad.
Since April 2021, he has been a regular speaker on NHK(Japan Broadcasting Corporation) radio program “マイあさ!”. Also, he is the editor of “The Future of Foodtech” (Nikkei BP Research Institute, December 2018) and author of “Foodtech Revolution: A 700 Trillion Yen New Industry: The Evolution and Redefinition of Food” (Nikkei BP, July 2020).

Ms. OKADA AkikoSIGMAXYZ Inc.
Research/Insight Specialist / Co-author of "Foodtech Revolution"

Research/Insight Specialist at Multi-Sided Platform Team at Sigmaxyz. Prior to Sigmaxyz, served as Knowledge Specialist for High Tech Sector in Research & Information Group at Global Leading Management Consulting Firm for 10 years. Pursuing the core essence of food, cooking, technology, and science in terms of the evolution of human-being and societies by utilizing her experienced research capabilities.
Aspiration: To find the essence, meaning, and new value of “food” for our lives and planet.
She is the editor of “The Future of Foodtech” (Nikkei BP Research Institute, December 2018) and author of “Foodtech Revolution: A 700 Trillion Yen New Industry: The Evolution and Redefinition of Food” (Nikkei BP, July 2020).

Mr. AZUMA ShuheiShijonawate City
Mayor

Studied about nuclear power at Kyoto University and joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Later, while working at Nomura Research Institute India, he learned about the current situation in his hometown due to his father's illness, and decided to run for office, dedicated to a vision towards the future for his hometown. He was first elected in January 2017 at the age of 28.
Under his philosophy of community development that emphasizes dialogue, he achieved the first increase in population in 11 years and the first sound fiscal structure in 31 years. In December 2020, he was re-elected with 20% more votes than the previous election. He is currently in his second term.

Ms. KUWABARA HarukaTsunan town
mayor

March 2005 Graduated from Niigata International Information High School
March 2009 Graduated from School of Social Sciences, Waseda University
March 2012 Completed Law and Policy Course, Graduate School of Public Policy, The University of Tokyo
November 2011 - March 2008 Tsunan Town Council Member (2 terms)
November 2015-March 2018 Vice-Chairman of Tsunan Town Assembly
July 2008-present Mayor of Tsunan Town

Mr. OKAYAMA JunyaTIS Inc.
AIZU Service Creation Center
Digital Society Service Planning Dept.
Digital Society Service Planning Unit Section Manager

After joining TIS Corporation as a new graduate in 2004, he worked as an SE in charge of building and implementing production management systems for a major manufacturing company, and was then transferred to Shanghai, China, where he was involved in the launch of new businesses. After returning to Japan, he was involved in the establishment of overseas subsidiaries, business management, and the launch and closing of new businesses in the finance/payment area, etc. He participated in the launch of the Smart City Project in 2019, and is since then engaged in business planning activities.

Mr. MOTOHASHI MichinariKinki Bureau of Telecommunications　
Information and Communication Department　
Director, Information and Communication Department

He was hired by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications in April 1993. After serving as Director of the Information and Communications Promotion Division, Information and Communications Department, Tohoku Bureau of Telecommunications, Assistant Director of the International Cooperation Division, Information and Communications International Strategy Bureau, and Assistant Director of the Information and Communications Policy Division, Information Distribution Administration Bureau, he was appointed to his current position in April 2023.

Mr. NAKAMURA ShoheiOsaka University
Office of Industry-Academia-Government Collaboration, Co-Creation Bureau
Specially Appointed Academic Policy Researcher

Shohei Nakamura has been in charge of the organizing industry-academia-government-private sector co-creation projects at the Osaka University Co-Creation Bureau since 2018. He also has served as deputy project leader at Futuristic and Intellectual Co-Creation Town division, Institute for Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives, Osaka University from FY2023. He is working to solve local social issues by combining the knowledge and research capabilities of the university with them.

Mr. SHINKAI KunihiroIbaraki City
"Urban Development Department
Urban Policy Division"
Counselor and Chief of Promotion Section

1999 Joined Ibaraki City as an engineer
1999~ Engaged in the renewal of water supply facilities at the Engineering Division of the Waterworks Department
2007~ Engaged in the maintenance of urban planning roads at the Road Traffic Division
2015~ Engaged in formulation of location optimization plans, land readjustment projects, and regional community development at the Urban Policy Division, and promoted community development through industry-government-academia-industry collaboration in areas with social issues, taking the opportunity of the formulation of location optimization plans in 2019.
Current position from 2023

Mr. KAWAMURA HirokiKitahiroshima City
Economic Department, Manager

Joined Hokkaido Hiroshima Town Hall in 1989; Director of Policy Coordination Section, Planning and Finance Department in 2012; in charge of formulating town development plans; Deputy Director of Planning and Finance Department and Director of Policy Promotion Office in 2015; Director of Planning and Finance Department and Director of Ball Park Promotion Office in 2016; Director of Planning and Finance Department and Director of Ball Park Promotion Office in 2017. In 2015, he became Deputy Director of the Planning and Finance Department and Director of the Policy Promotion Office; in 2016, he was in charge of negotiations to invite the Hokkaido Ball Park F Village; in 2017, he became Director of the Planning and Finance Department and Director of the Ball Park Promotion Office; in 2018, he decided to invite the ball park to Kitahiroshima City. In 2023, he will be appointed as Director of the Economic Affairs Department.

Mr. KOBAYASHI TomoFIGHTERS SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT CO.,LTD.
Planning Division, General Manager

He is in charge of the overall planning of the "Hokkaido Ball Park F Village". He joined the company in April 2020 with the aim of creating a sustainable community, solving social issues, and creating value for local cities by integrating the values of sports and Hokkaido. Previously, he worked for Mitsubishi UFJ Bank, where he was stationed overseas for more than a decade and was involved in expanding the business base in Southeast Asia. He is 42 years old and a native of Asahikawa, Hokkaido.

Mr. ITANI MakotoShirahama Town
mayor

1979 Graduated from Waseda University, Faculty of Letters I
1979 Joined Jet Tour Inc.
1989 Manager of Jet Hawaii, Inc.
1991 General Manager of Maui Office of Jet Tour Inc.
1997 Manager of Sales Section, Osaka Branch, Jet Tour, Inc.
1999 General Manager of Osaka Sales Department, Kanucha Bay Resort, Inc.
2001 Sales Manager, Hokudo Corporation
2006 Commissioner of Education, Shirahama Town
2011 Acting Chairman of Shirahama Town Board of Education
2012 Mayor of Shirahama Town, currently serving his third term

Mr. AOKI HarutakaKitchHike Inc.
Operating officer

He became involved in city planning in Sendai after the earthquake disaster. After graduation, he worked for a design company and a startup before joining Kitchhike in March 2019. At Kitchhike, he and the CEO Mr. Yamamoto are developing a local development project to create a Nursery School Study Abroad population economic zone.

Mr. MORI Gorogiftee Inc.
4th Business Headquarters Regional Community Business Department
Managing Executive Officer/General Manager

1991 Joined JCB Co.
2015 Appointed President and Representative Director of J&J Gift Corp.
2016 Launched the electronic local currency service ""Welcome! STAMP"" in partnership with Giftee
2019 Joined Giftee Inc.
2020 Launches second location ""giftee*Kyoto""
2021: Service name changed from ""Welcome! STAMP"" to ""e-machi Platform"" due to significant expansion of service functions

Mr. KITAYAMA YukitomoBeautiful Village LLC
representative of a company

Born in Sakai City, Osaka

1994: Matsushita Kosan Co.
2004: Matsushita Kosan Australia Pty.
2005: Creed Corporation
2008: Independent

Representative Director of JAPAN PROPERTY nationwide Co.
Representative of Beautiful Village Project, LLC.
Town planning advisor for Matsuzaki-cho, Shizuoka Prefecture

NPO ""The Most Beautiful Village in Japan"" Coalition
Official supporter

Mr. MATSUMURA YoheiCHIZU-TOWN
planning section, assistant section manager

Joined Chizu Town Office in 2000. After working in the Welfare Section, Planning Strategy Section, General Affairs Section, Construction, Agriculture and Forestry Section, and Regional Development Section, he was assigned to the current Planning Section in 2021. In charge of SDGs, comprehensive strategy, comprehensive planning, etc., and is involved from planning to implementation as the chief inspector of the FY2022 wide-area collaboration SDGs model project "The Dawn of the Digital Villagers of the Most Beautiful Village in Japan".

Mr. SUZUKI keisukeMatsuzaki Town(Shizuoka Prefecture)
Chief Manager, Beautiful Village Promotion Section, Planning and Tourism Division

Joined Matsuzaki Town Hall in April 2014. He was assigned to the current Planning and Tourism Division. After being transferred to two different departments, he was reassigned to the Planning and Tourism Division in April 2023. He is in charge of overall town development, including the "Most Beautiful Village in Japan" coalition and the creation of a related population through university cooperation.

Mr. MINE AramGaiax Co.Ltd.
web3 Division
director

Aram Mine is Director of Japan Blockchain Association and visiting researcher at SIT Research Institute, Shibaura Institute of Technology, he started research and development of blockchain in 2015 and has been involved in the publication of three books. He is also involved in the system development of "Beautiful Village DAO," which will be the topic of this lecture, and the development of a LiDAR network for smart cities in collaboration with Waseda University, Shibaura Institute of Technology, and others. He is also a member of the ISO / TC307 National Deliberative Committee for the international standardization of blockchain.

Mr. NISHIMURA ToshihiroKyoto Prefecture
Policy and Environment Department
"Vice Manager
Chief Information Officer
Chief Information Security Officer"

After working in the Information Policy Division and at the Japan Science and Technology Agency, he became Deputy Director of the Commerce, Industry, Labor and Tourism Department, where he was involved in industrial promotion measures through industry-academia-government collaboration and open innovation, and was appointed Deputy Director of the Policy Planning Department (now the Policy Environment Department) of Kyoto Prefecture and CIO and CISO in April 2021.

Mr. TSUBOTA TomookiOsaka Prefectural Government
Department of Smart City Strategy
CIO and Director General

1984 Graduated from Doshisha University (Faculty of Economics)
Entered IBM Japan, Ltd
2014 Managing Executive Officer, IBM Japan,Ltd
2020 CIO and Director General, Department of Smart City Strategy,
Osaka Prefectural Government

Mr. AKAZAWA ShigeruHyogo Prefecture
Director of Information Strategy

Joined NTT in 1991. Engaged in local government sales, smart city, new business, and R&D human resource development. In smart city related projects, he was involved in projects for Kumamoto Prefecture and City, Hiroshima Prefecture, Osaka Convention & Visitors Bureau, and others.
After serving as Director and General Manager of Chugoku Branch of NTT Business Solutions in 2019, he was appointed as Hyogo Prefecture Information Strategy Supervisor in April 2021. Engaged in smart city, administrative DX, ChatGPT utilization, etc.
Graduated from Kyoto University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering, and Purdue University Business School.

Mr. UMEYAMA NaokiT2N Inc
President & CEO

Joined the major national company Sier in April 2001
Joined Oracle Japan in March 2015
Appointed as General Manager of Connected Business Division in 2020
2023 (Currently) Deputy General Manager of Strategic Business Promotion Division and General Manager of Smart City Business Promotion Office

At the same time, he started T2N Corporation and became President and CEO of the company.
While setting long-term management policies and business plans, he is in charge of sales and is active as a PM and consultant, drawing on his experience in numerous smart city projects.

Ms. OGURA ChisaMeros Consulting
Managing Director

Chisa has over 20 years of experience in research and problem solving related to global agriculture, policy and market development. She founded Meros Consulting in 2016 together with three partners in order to help international and Japanese players build sustainable and innovative businesses along the global ag-food supply chain. She has participated as a committee member for the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries’ advisory panel on ESG investing in the agriculture and food industry. Chisa is deeply fascinated with the complex and organic relationships between people, environment, natural resources, history, food culture and land use. She has a master’s degree in agricultural economics from the University of Tokyo.

Mr. SUGIMURA YasuhiroThink&Act,Inc
CEO

Graduated from Kyoto University, Faculty of Economics, and joined Morgan Stanley Securities. 2005 transferred to ABN AMRO Securities as a team member. 2009 established our company focusing on HR consulting. He became Representative Director. He became Representative Director of Organ Technologies Corporation, a regenerative medicine venture company originating from RIKEN, and returned to our company in 2021.

Ms. SEKI MegumiFermented Food Restaurant KAMOSHIKA
CEO

After studying abroad at the Faculty of Economics at Hokkaido University and the Faculty of Political Science and Economics at Gothenburg University in Sweden, completed a master's degree at the University of Health and Welfare. To foreign consulting companies and medical consulting companies. After moving to Kyoto in 2011, he started Hakko Shokudo Kamoshika Co., Ltd. While running a cafe/restaurant specializing in fermentation in Arashiyama and a fermented food manufacturing and sales business, he is also involved in producing various fermentation-themed events and product development.

Mr. TAKAYA KeitaShioyoshiken
Owner

Born in 1973 in Kyoto. Graduated from Saga Art College. He is the fifth generation owner of Shioyoshiken, a confectionary shop.

Mr. SUZUKI HiroyukiAdvanced Telecommunications Research Institute International,
Executive Vice President, Representative Director

He conducted and supervised basic, applied and commercialization R&D at NTT Laboratories, and then moved to ATR for corporate management and planning as well as business developments at ATR and ATR Group. He is also leading the establishment of a global innovation ecosystem and various startup support platforms in Keihanna Science City. In February 2021, he established XBorder Innovations (XBI) to further strengthen startup support activities.

Ms. UCHIDA MizukoCommercial Office of Spanish Embassy
Investment & Industrial Cooperation
Market analyst

After graduating from Complutense University in Spain in 1990, worked for a major Japanese manufacturer in Spain Worked for the Economic and Commercial Department of the Embassy of Spain in December 1995
While supporting Japanese companies' expansion into Spain, investment, and global alliances, he also participates in related seminars and writes for industry magazines. His areas of expertise are renewable energy, mobility, food tech, and general social infrastructure. After that, he worked for a major Japanese manufacturer in Spain.