Our Researchers
As of January 2016, the advisors, members of the Yomiuri Research Institute were as follows:
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- Masago Minami
- Chief Officer
Advisors
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- Ken Sato
- Special advisor
- President, Institute for International Policy Studies; former administrative vice minister, Japan Defense Agency
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- Tadao Kakizoe
- Special advisor for medicine
- Former President Emeritus of the National Cancer Center
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- Katsuji Ebisawa
- Advisor
- Former president, NHK
Guest Research Fellows
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- Takeshi Umehara
- Advisor, International Research Center for Japanese Studies
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- Takemochi Ishii
- Emeritus professor, University of Tokyo
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- Masakazu Yamazaki
- Playwright; critic
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- Shinichi Kitaoka
- President, Japan International Cooperation Agency
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- Eisuke Sakakibara
- Professor, Aoyama Gakuin University
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- Naoki Ogino
- Former member, National Public Safety Commission
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- Osamu Shima
- Former professor, Teikyo University
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- Takashi Shiraishi
- President, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies
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- Shohei Yonemoto
- Visiting professor, Komaba Organization for Educational Excellence (KOMEX), University of Tokyo
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- Motoshige Ito
- Professor, Gakushuin University
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- Shunpei Takemori
- Professor, Keio University
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- Takenori Inoki
- Adjunct professor, Aoyama Gakuin University
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- Masayuki Yamauchi
- Adjunct professor, Meiji University
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- Yasutake Tango
- Chairman, Japan Tobacco Inc.
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- Toshio Asakura
- Advisor, Editorial Board, The Yomiuri Shimbun
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- Akira Saito
- Columnist (based in the United States)
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- Hiroshi Yoshikawa
- Professor, Rissho University
Senior Research Fellows and Research Fellows
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- Hiroyoshi Horii
- Senior Research Fellow
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Areas of expertise Education, disaster prevention Notes I reported on education for the City News Department, and on disaster prevention for the Science News Department. After spending time as a senior writer I was appointed to my present position. The Great East Japan Earthquake made it abundantly clear how important proper information communication, regular training, and disaster prevention education are. I take a multifaceted approach to evaluating measures for dealing head-on with looming natural threats such as a massive earthquake in the Nankai Trough.
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- Michiro Okamoto
- Senior Research Fellow
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Areas of expertise International affairs, the Middle East Notes I served as a reporter for the International News Department and the Political News Department and as a correspondent in Teheran, Cairo and Washington. I reflect on the world and Japan with special attention to the Mideast Islamic world and the United States. I am the author of "Bush vs. Hussein," published by Chuko-Shinsho Laclef.
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- Satoru Watanabe
- Senior Research Fellow
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Areas of expertise International affairs, industry trends, gender, English-language education Notes After serving as a reporter for the Economic News Department and the International News Department, I was a correspondent in London and Geneva. I am devoted to multifaceted analysis of contemporary society through reading, writing and speaking.
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- Yuko Inazawa
- Senior Research Fellow
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Areas of expertise Media Notes After serving as a reporter for the City News Department, the Lifestyle News Department and the Economic News Department, I became editor-in-chief for Yomiuri Online web magazine. I was subsequently editor-in-chief of a PC magazine and of the "Ote Komachi" website for women. I follow the rapidly changing world of media while devoting particular attention to how women live their lives.
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- Seiji Fukunaga
- Senior Research Fellow
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Areas of expertise Movies Notes I served as deputy editor of the Cultural News Department and senior writer before taking up my current position. Having focused on films since 1993, I have watched more than 6,200 movies, both Japanese and foreign. At present, I am in charge of a feature series introducing outstanding Japanese film directors.
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- Yoshiaki Sato
- Senior Research Fellow
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Areas of expertise Life sciences, medicine Notes I was appointed to my present post after serving as deputy editor of the Science News Department. I have reported on the most advanced topics in the life sciences, such as iPS cells and the human genome, as well as on medical subjects such as organ transplants from brain-dead donors and novel influenza viruses. As a member of the Yomiuri Shimbun medical reform study group I participated in one of The Yomiuri Shimbun's proposals on medical reform.
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- Yuichi Shibata
- Senior Research Fellow
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Areas of expertise Science, technology Notes I was appointed to my present position after serving as a London correspondent and deputy editor of the Science News Department. I follow a wide variety of scientific and technical subjects with keen interest, such as measures for dealing with earthquake disasters, advanced medicine and manufacturing technology. I am in charge of the Yomiuri Techno Forum and another forum that invites Nobel laureates from Japan and abroad.
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- Kazuo Nagata
- Senior Research Fellow
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Areas of expertise International affairs Notes I have been a correspondent in Brussels, Washington, New Delhi and Bangkok. I witnessed firsthand the introduction of the European monetary union, the Sept. 11,2001, terrorist attacks in the United States and the Iraq War, economic growth in India and the coup d'état in Thailand. I reflect on how such events influence the contemporary world.
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- Hiroshi Sakagami
- Senior Research Fellow
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Areas of expertise Medicine Notes I served as deputy editor of the Medical News Department before taking up my current post. I have covered news related to medicine, such as regenerative medicine, incurable diseases, organ transplants, cancer and lifestyle diseases. I have been a member of the team of "Medical Renaissance," The Yomiuri Shimbun's medical report series starting in 1992, first as a reporter and then as an editor. Now as a researcher, I hope to keep on reporting with eyes on the patients.
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- Tatsuya Sasaki
- Senior Research Fellow
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Areas of expertise Economy Notes As an economics journalist I reported on topics such as macroeconomics, finance and industry during a time of weakness for the Japanese economy. I was appointed to my present post after serving as deputy editor of the Economic News Department. I also wrote part of the proposals for medical reform published by The Yomiuri Shimbun in May 2013, proposals which called for an "industrialization of medicine."
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- Hajime Someya
- Senior Research Fellow
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Areas of expertise Medicine Notes After reporting for the Medical News Department and the Cultural News Department, I handled logistics for the preparation of The Yomiuri Shimbun's proposals for medical reform, published in 2013. I have reported widely on medicine from the point of view of both the patient and the physician, and focus my attention on how medicine must respond to an aging society.
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- Noriko Sakakibara
- Senior Research Fellow
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Areas of expertise Social security, low birth rate Notes I reported on central government reform, and health and welfare policy for the Political News Department, and then on social security programs from the viewpoint of both recipients and policymaking for the Commentary & Analysis Department, the Lifestyle News Department and the Social Welfare News Department. Since experiencing firsthand the anxieties involved in raising a child, I have been interested in how to create a society where childbirth and parenting are worry-free, as well as in measures to help society escape the low birth rate.
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- Kakuchi Funatsuki
- Senior Research Fellow
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Areas of expertise Constitution and politics Notes I reported on political issues, focusing on those related to the Constitution and covered topics involving Okinawa for The Yomiuri Shimbun, Seibu. I also taught at Kyushu University and Kumamoto University. I have written books including "Seiji wa do ugokuka" (How politics works) and coauthored "Kenpo kaisei ronso" (Controversy over constitutional revision),both published by Chuko-Shinsho Laclef.
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- Hiroyuki Nakamura
- Senior Research Fellow
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Areas of expertise Domestic and foreign economy and business, financial markets and energy issues Notes I was appointed to my present position after working as a London correspondent, an associate at Harvard University's Weatherhead Center for International Affairs and a deputy editor of the Economic News Department. I follow trends in the economies of Japan and the world, which are closely connected to international affairs.
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- Nobuo Asaumi
- Senior research fellow/Special contract personnel
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Areas of expertise Japanese politics, public opinion polls Notes As a political reporter I covered the period from the Zenko Suzuki Cabinet through the Keizo Obuchi Cabinet, during which time I wrote the Matsurigoto Ko (Thoughts on Government) political column. I was also a member of The Yomiuri Shimbun's committee to examine responsibility for the war. Among the books I have jointly authored and edited are "Nihon no Yoron" (Public opinion in Japan), "Kokkai to Gaiko" (The Diet and diplomacy), and "Gendai Nihon Seito Shiroku" (Annals of contemporary Japanese political parties).
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- Yasuyuki Maruyama
- Researcher
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Areas of expertise Reporting on economic news Notes I have been an economic reporter for 30 years, covering the growth of the economic bubble, its bursting and the later economic crisis. I see these as phenomena of the globalizing modern economy that are common to Japan and to economies abroad.