Human Resources/ Leadership

• 2026年5月28日

Mr. Hiroshi Shiragami (Director, Representative Executive Officer & Executive Vice President, Chief Innovation Officer (CIO), and Supervision of Research and Development, Ajinomoto Co., Inc.) Theme: Ajinomoto Group’s Vision and Science-Based Management: A Strategic Approach to Co-Creating the Future Through Innovation

The speaker of the First Wednesday May 2026 session is Mr. Hiroshi Shiragami (Director, Representative Executive Officer & Executive Vice President, Chief Innovation Officer (CIO), and Supervision of Research and Development, Ajinomoto Co., Inc.)

• 2026年4月27日

Mr. Atsuhiko Hirano (Representative Director and Executive Vice President, Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd.) Theme: The Current Energy Situation and the Outlook for the Future

The speaker of the First Wednesday April 2026 session is Mr. Atsuhiko Hirano (Representative Director and Executive Vice President, Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd.)

• 2026年3月18日

Ms. Yoko Fujita (Vice President & Executive Officer, Business Strategy Headquarters, Yokogawa Electric Corporation) Theme: Corporate Value Creation in an Era of Uncertainty: Fulfilling Our Responsibility to the Future of the Earth Through the Power to Measure and the Power to Connect

The speaker of the First Wednesday March 2026 session is Ms. Yoko Fujita (Vice President & Executive Officer, Business Strategy Headquarters, Yokogawa Electric Corporation)

• 2026年2月24日

Mr. Katsuhiko Kawazoe (Chief Executive Fellow, Former Executive Vice President, NTT Corporation) Theme: Creating New Value through IOWN (Innovative Optical and Wireless Network) for Realizing a Globally Sustainable Society

The speaker of the First Wednesday February 2026 session is Mr. Katsuhiko Kawazoe (Chief Executive Fellow, Former Executive Vice President, NTT Corporation)

• 2026年2月5日

Mr. Shinsuke Sugiyama (Former Japanese Ambassador to the United States) Theme: The Current International Situation and Japan (The Trump Administration and the World)

The speaker of the First Wednesday January 2026 session is Mr. Shinsuke Sugiyama (Former Japanese Ambassador to the United States)

• 2025年12月7日

Mr. Eiji Sakamoto (Senior Editorial Writer, Nikkei, Inc.) Theme: What will happen to Japan’s politics, economy, diplomacy, and security?

The speaker of the First Wednesday December 2025 session is Mr. Eiji Sakamoto (Senior Editorial Writer, Nikkei, Inc.)

• 2025年11月13日

Mr. Yutaka Sasaki (Representative Director, President and CEO, NTT Data) Theme: Industrial Structure and Business Models Transformed by AI: Initiatives by NTT Data Group

The speaker of the First Wednesday November 2025 session is Mr. Yutaka Sasaki (Representative Director, President and CEO, NTT Data)

• 2025年10月27日

Ms. Naoko Shoji (Marketing Senior Director, Marketing Strategy & Operations Division, NEC Corporation) Theme: BluStellar: Corporate Transformation from a Marketing Perspective

The speaker of the First Wednesday October 2025 session is Ms. Naoko Shoji (Marketing Senior Director, Marketing Strategy & Operations Division, NEC Corporation)

• 2025年9月17日

Mr. Tomoyoshi Maruyama (CEO & Founder, XPERISUS Inc.) Theme: Foreign currency acquisition project: Providing high value-added travel and experiences to wealthy individuals overseas to create fans of Japan

The speaker of the First Wednesday September 2025 session is Mr. Tomoyoshi Maruyama (CEO & Founder, XPERISUS Inc.)

• 2025年8月25日
• 2025年8月25日

Mr. Naofumi Iwai (Co-founder, Director, and CSO, Peatix Japan K.K.) Theme: Business Issues, Challenges, and Opportunities in Establishing a Business

The speaker of First Wednesday August 2025 session is Mr. Naofumi Iwai (Co-founder, Director, and CSO, Peatix Japan K.K.)

• 2025年7月14日
• 2025年10月27日

Dr. Akifumi Takaori M.D., Ph.D. (Director, Kyoto University Hospital) Theme: Management Crisis Facing National University Hospitals and Advanced Medical Care in Japan

The speaker of First Wednesday July 2025 session is Akifumi Takaori M.D., Ph.D. (Director, Kyoto University Hospital) Jointly hosted by the Integrated Healthcare Initiative

• 2025年6月16日

Mr. Hideyuki Kurata (Representative Director, Executive Vice President, CTO, General Manager of the Technology General Division, AGC Inc.) Theme: AGC’s Ambidextrous Management

The speaker of First Wednesday June 2025 session is Mr. Hideyuki Kurata (Representative Director, Executive Vice President, CTO, General Manager of the Technology General Division, AGC Inc.)

• 2025年6月2日

Mr. Christopher Eoyang (Senior Partner and head of Macro, Pamalican Asset Management) Theme: Japan since 1985: The Current Global Context

The speaker of First Wednesday May 2025 session is Mr. Christopher Eoyang (Senior Partner and head of Macro, Pamalican Asset Management)

• 2025年4月24日

Prof. Tatsuya Nishida (Professor, School of Political Science and Economics Department of Political Science, Tokai University) Theme: The Changing International Order and Japanese Diplomacy from a Geopolitical Perspective

The speaker of First Wednesday April 2025 session is Prof. Tatsuya Nishida (Professor, School of Political Science and Economics Department of Political Science, Tokai University)

• 2025年4月4日

Mr. Hiroshi Sakurai (Chairman, DASSAI, Inc.) Theme: Tough times bring opportunity – Made possible by a small sake brewery deep in the mountains of Yamaguchi

The speaker of First Wednesday March 2025 session is Mr. Hiroshi Sakurai (Chairman, DASSAI, Inc.)

• 2025年2月12日
• 2025年2月12日

Mr. Yasuhide Mizuno (Representative Director, Chairperson and CEO, Sony Honda Mobility Inc.) Theme: Creating New Value in Mobility

The speaker of the First Wednesday February 2025 session is Mr. Yasuhide Mizuno (Representative Director, Chairperson and CEO, Sony Honda Mobility Inc.)

• 2025年1月24日

Mr. Hideo Tamura (Senior Columnist, Sankei Shimbun) Theme: Trump 2.0 – What Will Happen to Japan-U.S.-China Relations?

The speaker of First Wednesday January 2025 session is Mr. Hideo Tamura (Senior Columnist, Sankei Shimbun)

• 2024年12月24日
• 2024年12月24日

Mr. Tadao Kikuchi (Chairman of the Board of Directors, Royal Holdings Inc.) Theme: Royal Holdings’ Management Strategies

The speaker of First Wednesday December 2024 session is Mr. Tadao Kikuchi (Chairman of the Board of Directors, Royal Holdings Inc.)

• 2024年11月20日

Mr. Nicholas Szechenyi (Vice President, Geopolitics and Foreign Policy Department and Senior Fellow, Japan Chair, Center for Strategic and International Studies) Theme: Current and Future U.S.-Japan Relations

The speaker of First Wednesday November 2024 session is Mr. Nicholas Szechenyi (Vice President, Geopolitics and Foreign Policy Department and Senior Fellow, Japan Chair, Center for Strategic and International Studies)

• 2024年10月26日
• 2024年10月26日

Mr. Tsuneo Watanabe (Senior Fellow, Security Studies Program, Sasakawa Peace Foundation) Theme: The U.S. Presidential Election and Its Impact on Japan

The speaker of First Wednesday October 2024 session is Mr. Tsuneo Watanabe (Senior Fellow, Security Studies Program, Sasakawa Peace Foundation)

• 2024年10月1日

Mr. Umio Otsuka (Chief Priest of Yasukuni Shrine; Former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Republic of Djibouti; Director General, Director, Defense Intelligence Headquarters of Ministry of Defense) Theme: Japan’s Leadership in the World: The New Role of Yasukuni Shrine

The speaker of First Wednesday September 2024 session is Mr. Umio Otsuka (Chief Priest of Yasukuni Shrine; Former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Republic of Djibouti; Director General, Director, Defense Intelligence Headquarters of Ministry of Defense)

• 2024年10月1日

Ms. Akiko Kamei (Member of the House of Representatives, Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan) Theme: The Future of Japan Viewed from Shimane

The speaker of First Wednesday August 2024 session is Ms. Akiko Kamei (Member of the House of Representatives, Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan) Jointly hosted by the Integrated Healthcare Initiative

• 2024年10月1日

Mr. Tamotsu Hiiro (Representative Director, President and CEO, McDonald’s Holdings Company (Japan), Ltd.) Theme: McDonald’s Management Strategies

The speaker of First Wednesday July 2024 session is Mr. Tamotsu Hiiro (Representative Director, President and CEO, McDonald’s Holdings Company (Japan), Ltd.)

• 2024年10月1日

Mr. Mikio Sugeno (Managing Executive Officer, Chair of Editorial Board, Nikkei) Theme: Outlook for Japan and the World in the Second Half of 2024

The speaker of First Wednesday June 2024 session is Mr. Mikio Sugeno (Managing Executive Officer, Chair of Editorial Board, Nikkei) Jointly hosted by the Integrated Healthcare Initiative

• 2024年10月1日

Mr. Yoshihisa Furukawa (Member of the House of Representatives; Former Minister of Justice) Theme: Steering the Times

The speaker of First Wednesday May 2024 session is Mr. Yoshihisa Furukawa (Member of the House of Representatives; Former Minister of Justice) Jointly hosted by the Integrated Healthcare Initiative

• 2024年10月1日

Dr. Masashi Yanagisawa (President, S’UIMIN Co.; Director, International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine, University of Tsukuba) Theme: About Sleeping

The speaker of First Wednesday April 2024 session is Dr. Masashi Yanagisawa (President, S'UIMIN Co.; Director, International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine, University of Tsukuba) Jointly hosted by the Integrated Healthcare Initiative

• 2024年10月1日

Professor Tsai Jaw Shen (Professor, Tokyo University of Science; Team Leader of the Superconducting Quantum Simulation Research Team, RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS)) Theme: Implications for Japanese Manufacturing by a Leading Quantum Computer Expert

The speaker of First Wednesday March 2024 session is Professor Tsai Jaw Shen (Professor, Tokyo University of Science; Team Leader of the Superconducting Quantum Simulation Research Team, RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS)) Jointly hosted by the Integrated Healthcare Initiative

• 2024年10月1日

Mr. Hideo Tamura (Senior Columnist, Sankei Shimbun) Theme: Future of Currencies in Japan, U.S. and China

The speaker of First Wednesday February 2024 session is Mr. Hideo Tamura (Senior Columnist, Sankei Shimbun)

• 2024年10月1日

Mr. Akio Fujii (Executive Chair of Editorial Board, Nikkei) Theme: Domestic and Foreign Economic Outlook for 2024

The speaker of First Wednesday January 2024 session is Mr. Akio Fujii (Executive Chair of Editorial Board, Nikkei) Jointly hosted by the Integrated Healthcare Initiative

• 2024年10月1日

First Wednesday Special Trip (Thinking about Japan’s Security) -Through the visit to the bases of the Okinawa Ground, Maritime and Air Self-Defense Forces, and through the dialogue with the General of the Ground, Maritime and Air Forces-

The speakers of First Wednesday Special Trip December 2023 are Tetsuya Takada (Rear Admiral, 5th Air Group, Maritime Self-Defense Force); Masahito Yajima (Lieutenant General, Southwestern Air Defense Force); Koji Matsunaga (Major General, 15th Brigade Group)

• 2024年10月1日

Mr. Jean-Marc Gilson (President and Representative Executive Officer, Mitsubishi Chemical Group Corporation) Theme: Forging the future-A new path for Mitsubishi Chemical

The speaker of First Wednesday November 2023 session is Mr. Jean-Marc Gilson (President and Representative Executive Officer, Mitsubishi Chemical Group Corporation)

• 2024年10月1日
• 2024年10月1日

Dr. Kiyoshi Kurokawa (Chairman, Health and Global Policy Institute) Theme: Japan’s Future and Human Resource Development on the World Map – Based on many years in the field of medical health care in Japan and the U.S.

The speaker of First Wednesday October 2023 session is Dr. Kiyoshi Kurokawa (Chairman, Health and Global Policy Institute) Jointly hosted by the Integrated Healthcare Initiative

• 2024年10月1日

Mr. Hiroki Sugita (Columnist, Kyodo News) Theme: Geopolitics Surrounding Japan and Japan’s Future

The speaker of First Wednesday September 2023 session is Mr. Hiroki Sugita (Columnist, Kyodo News)

• 2024年10月1日

Mr. Akihiro Nikkaku (President and Representative Director, Toray Industries, Inc.) Theme: Toray’s Reforms and Japanese-style Corporate Management

The speaker of First Wednesday August 2023 session is Mr. Akihiro Nikkaku (President and Representative Director, Toray Industries, Inc.)

• 2024年10月1日

Mr. Hisahiro Ichikawa (General Manager, Good Conditioning Promotion Office, Yahoo Japan Corporation, President, Work & Wellness Corporation) Theme: Yahoo Group’s Health Management through Self-Conditioning

The speaker of First Wednesday June 2023 session is Mr. Hisahiro Ichikawa (General Manager, Good Conditioning Promotion Office, Yahoo Japan Corporation, President, Work & Wellness Corporation) Jointly hosted by the Integrated Healthcare Initiative

• 2024年10月1日

Mr. Atsushi Tanaka (Representative Director, JTOWER Inc.) Theme: About Startups and Entrepreneurship

The speaker of First Wednesday April 2023 session is Mr. Atsushi Tanaka (Representative Director, JTOWER Inc.)

• 2022年4月30日
• 2022年5月24日

Mr. Shinya Tamura, Director, Executive Officer, TOTO Ltd. (In charge of Overseas Housing Equipment Business) Theme: TOTO’s Challenges in International Markets

The speaker of First Wednesday April 2022 session is Mr. Shinya Tamura (Director, Executive Officer, TOTO Ltd. (In charge of Housing Equipment Business in China and Asia, Housing Equipment Business in the US, and Europe)

• 2022年2月27日
• 2022年5月24日

Mr. Takayuki Inagawa, General Manager, Innovation Division, NTT DOCOMO, INC. (Former President and Representative Director, NTT DOCOMO Ventures, Inc.) Theme:　Open Innovation, New Business Creation and Venture Investment: The Case of DOCOMO

The speaker of First Wednesday February 2022 session is Mr. Takayuki Inagawa, General Manager, Innovation Division, NTT DOCOMO, INC. (Former President and Representative Director, NTT DOCOMO Ventures, Inc.)

• 2021年10月13日
• 2022年1月20日

Mr. Makoto Enomoto, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), NEC Corporation Theme; NEC’s marketing innovation

The speaker of First Wednesday  October 2021 session is Mr. Makoto Enomoto, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), NEC Corporation.

• 2021年9月17日
• 2022年1月20日

Dr. Tsuyoshi Abe, Vice President & General Manager, Marketing HQ, Yokogawa Electric Corporation Theme; The challenge of a 100 year old company!　Corporate innovation through marketing ~ The essence of marketing and DX, and how the organizational culture should be ~

The speaker of First Wednesday September 2021 session is Dr. Tsuyoshi Abe, Vice President & General Manager,　Marketing HQ, Yokogawa Electric Corporation.

• 2021年8月25日
• 2022年1月20日

Mr. Minoru Okamoto, Honorary Advisor of Tyco Electronics Japan G.K. Theme; Leadership is Strategy, Execution and Talent

The speaker of First Wednesday August 2021 session is Mr. Minoru Okamoto, Honorary Advisor of Tyco Electronics Japan G.K.

• 2021年7月16日
• 2022年1月20日

Mr. Tatsuo Tanaka, Senior Advisor and Former Chairman of Citigroup Japan Holdings G.K. Theme; Foreign Financial Institutions’ Perspectives on Japanese Companies’ Business Challenges

The speaker of First Wednesday July 2021 session is Mr. Tatsuo Tanaka, Senior Advisor and Former Chairman of Citigroup Japan Holdings G.K.

• 2021年2月17日
• 2022年1月20日

Dr. Kiyoshi Yamada, President, Tokai University Theme; Challenges in University Education (Case Study of Tokai University)

The speaker of First Wednesday February 2021 session is Dr. Kiyoshi Yamada, President, Tokai University.

• 2020年10月14日
• 2022年1月20日

Mr. Hisaoki Kamei, Former Director General, National Land Agency, Japan Theme; Don’t allow it to sell Japan!

The speaker of First Wednesday October 2020 session is Mr. Hisaoki Kamei, Former Director General, National Land Agency, Japan.

• 2019年11月13日
• 2022年1月20日

Mr. Atsuhi Omatsu, The Director, The managing executive officer and the manager of Urban development sector of NIKKEN Theme; Overseas expansion of Tokyo-style urban development

The speaker of First Wednesday November 2019 session is Mr. Atsuhi Omatsu, The Director, The managing executive officer and the manager of Urban development sector of NIKKEN.

• 2019年10月9日
• 2022年1月20日

Mr. Yoshimitsu Kobayashi, The chairman of Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation, The former representative manager of Japan Association of Corporate Executives. Theme; Management of sustainability

The speaker of First Wednesday the next October 2019 session is Mr. Yoshimitsu Kobayashi, The chairman of Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation, The former representative manager of Japan Association of Corporate Executives.

• 2019年8月7日
• 2022年1月20日

Mr. Ken Saito, A member of the House of Representatives The former minister of Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Japan. Theme; Japan Revitalization Strategy

The speaker of First Wednesday August 2019 session is Mr. Ken Saito, A member of the House of Representatives The former minister of Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Japan.

• 2019年2月13日
• 2022年1月20日

Mr. Kyohei Noguchi, The Executive officer of LIXIL Corporation Professor of The Graduate School of Project Design Theme; Global management system

The speaker of First Wednesday February 2019 session is Mr. Kyohei Noguchi, The Executive officer of LIXIL Corporation Professor of The Graduate School of Project Design. 

• 2019年1月9日
• 2022年1月20日

Mr. Kazuo Hiramoto, The Advisor of BS-TBS, INC. Theme; Management for media companies

The speaker of First Wednesday January 2019 session is Mr. Kazuo Hiramoto, The Advisor of BS-TBS, INC.

• 2018年10月30日
• 2022年1月24日

Mr. Masaaki Takano, The Director and Executive officer of Gurunavi, Inc. Theme: This is Japan

The speaker of First Wednesday October 2018 session is Mr. Masaaki Takano, The Director and Executive officer of Gurunavi, Inc.