Our Researchers

As of January 2016, the advisors, members of the Yomiuri Research Institute were as follows:

Masago Minami

Chief Officer

Advisors

Ken Sato

Special advisor

President, Institute for International Policy Studies; former administrative vice minister, Japan Defense Agency
Tadao Kakizoe

Special advisor for medicine

Former President Emeritus of the National Cancer Center
Katsuji Ebisawa

Advisor

Former president, NHK

Guest Research Fellows

Takeshi Umehara

Advisor, International Research Center for Japanese Studies
Takemochi Ishii

Emeritus professor, University of Tokyo
Masakazu Yamazaki

Playwright; critic
Shinichi Kitaoka

President, Japan International Cooperation Agency
Eisuke Sakakibara

Professor, Aoyama Gakuin University
Naoki Ogino

Former member, National Public Safety Commission
Osamu Shima

Former professor, Teikyo University
Takashi Shiraishi

President, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies
Shohei Yonemoto

Visiting professor, Komaba Organization for Educational Excellence (KOMEX), University of Tokyo
Motoshige Ito

Professor, Gakushuin University
Shunpei Takemori

Professor, Keio University
Takenori Inoki

Adjunct professor, Aoyama Gakuin University
Masayuki Yamauchi

Adjunct professor, Meiji University
Yasutake Tango

Chairman, Japan Tobacco Inc.
Toshio Asakura

Advisor, Editorial Board, The Yomiuri Shimbun
Akira Saito

Columnist (based in the United States)
Hiroshi Yoshikawa

Professor, Rissho University

Senior Research Fellows and Research Fellows

Hiroyoshi Horii

Senior Research Fellow

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.

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.

Michiro Okamoto

Senior Research Fellow

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.

Satoru Watanabe

Senior Research Fellow

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.

Yuko Inazawa

Senior Research Fellow

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.

Seiji Fukunaga

Senior Research Fellow

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.

Yoshiaki Sato

Senior Research Fellow

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.

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.

Yuichi Shibata

Senior Research Fellow

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.

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.

Kazuo Nagata

Senior Research Fellow

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.

Hiroshi Sakagami

Senior Research Fellow

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.

Tatsuya Sasaki

Senior Research Fellow

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."

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."

Hajime Someya

Senior Research Fellow

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.

Noriko Sakakibara

Senior Research Fellow

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.

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.

Kakuchi Funatsuki

Senior Research Fellow

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.

Hiroyuki Nakamura

Senior Research Fellow

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.

Nobuo Asaumi

Senior research fellow/Special contract personnel

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).

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).

Yasuyuki Maruyama

Researcher

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.