Leadership & Advisor

Leads a wide range of projects in Japan and overseas with an eye on the future of sake, designing and carrying out systems that raise sake's global value, grow its market and pass it on for centuries to come. Previously worked with design firms in Japan and abroad on product planning, product development and new business support for clients including Fortune 500 companies. After going independent, visited and photographed more than 250 breweries across Japan, then went on to run the Wakate no Yoake and Konsai events and the online platform sakejump, with events in Hong Kong and Beijing in 2025 and in Berlin and London in 2026. Also leads the premium brand PRIME SAKE and SAKE LEADERS SUMMIT, a conference on the future of sake, turning voices from the field into policy and working toward the growth of the industry as a whole.

Joined the Ministry of Finance in 1984. Served as head of the Saku Tax Office, Director of the Finance Division of Wakayama Prefecture, Counsellor at the Embassy of Japan in Canada, Budget Examiner at the Budget Bureau, Director-General of the General Affairs Department of the Tokyo Regional Taxation Bureau, Director of the General Affairs Division of the National Tax Agency, Councillor for Liquor Affairs at the National Tax Agency, Commissioner of the Sendai Regional Taxation Bureau, Deputy Director-General of the Office for the Promotion of Regulatory Reform at the Cabinet Office, Cabinet Councillor in charge of promoting exports of Japanese alcoholic beverages, Commissioner of the Kanto-Shinetsu Regional Taxation Bureau and Director-General for Policy Coordination at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, before retiring in 2020. Since then, alongside serving as an executive at private companies, has been auditor of the awa Sake Association, a member of the Washu Fes executive committee and adviser to the federation of corporate sake clubs, and gives talks on sake, making support for sake and other Japanese alcoholic beverages a life's work. Winner of the 40th All Japan Sake Tasting Championship (Kikizake Meijin).