Hajime Sohno
born.January 5, 1993
Field research theme: A universal social welfare system
Born in Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture. After graduating from Waseda University’s School of Political Science and Economics, he entered the Sumitomo Mitsui Bank. Dealing with personal asset and SME loan business, he realized that stable household finances are the cornerstone of a peaceful nation. He aims to realize a universal social welfare system that gives people the freedom to chart their own lives.
Tomohiro Nakada
born.August 19, 1997
Field research theme: Revitalizing Japan through promotion of young and innovative talent
Born in Kanagawa Prefecture. Graduated from Waseda University’s School of Political Science and Economics. During his studies, he worked as a manager of a startup company and as the COO of a non-profit association. Studying the management philosophy of Konosuke Matsushita and engaging in various types of on-site training, he became interested in the idea of management as a creative art and set his sights on becoming an entrepreneur. As such, his current focus is on management studies and communication design.
Taigi Izaki
born.February 16, 1995
Field research theme: Realizing a diversified and decentralized state built upon autonomous local governments
Born in Kita-kyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture. Graduated from Osaka University’s School of Human Sciences and worked on energy trade at Kansai Electric Power Company and IT business at Otobank before joining MIGM. Viewing initiatives by autonomous local governments pursuing diverse solutions for their own issues as critical in breaking through the paralysis currently afflicting Japan, he aims to realize a prosperous Japan through the decentralization of power to local governments and collaboration among cities in and beyond Japan.
Kodai Ichikawa
born.May 22, 1995
Field research theme: Realizing an affluent international community through partnership among countries sharing universal values
Born in Kumagaya City, Saitama Prefecture. After graduating from the Keio University Faculty of Law, he completed Masters degrees at both Keio University and The University of Tokyo. Concerned at authoritarian countries’growing influence in the international community, their territorial ambitions, and their human rights abuses, he wants to realize comprehensive security through partnership with countries sharing universal values and to increase the presence of Japan and other liberal nations.
Maoko Otaki
born.October 6, 1997
Field research theme: Field research theme: Promoting gender equality in sport
Born in Hitachiōmiya City, Ibaraki Prefecture. A geography and history major at the School of Education in Waseda University’s Department of Social Studies, her involvement in sports from an early age exposed her to the distance between society’s pursuit of diversity and what goes on in the sporting world. At MIGM, she aims to use athlete education to reform the sporting world and Japanese society.
Yuka Hinohara
born.March 28, 1988
Field research theme: A society based on diversity, inclusiveness, and coexistence
Born in Gunma Prefecture. After graduating from Waseda University’s Graduate School of Political Science, she initially joined Renesas Electronics, then went on to work for an NGO and the United Nations in humanitarian and development assistance in the Middle East and Africa. The awareness of social inequality and discrimination she gained through that experience led her to focus on realizing a society based on diversity, inclusiveness, and coexistence.
Aya Matsuda
born.July 8, 1988
Field research theme: Japan’s national security strategy in light of the changing US-China relations
Born in Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture. After graduating from the Ohio State University International Studies program, she majored in Chinese philosophy at Peking University’s graduate school. After a stint as a university lecturer, she joined MIGM with the aim of becoming a policymaker who can guide Japan in adapting to changes in the international relations. Focusing on strengthening primary industry, creating a space industry, and Japan’s land, sea, and air defense, her ambition is to contribute to world peace.
Yuki Mizukami
born.November 14, 1994
Field research theme: Strategies for increasing happiness through philosophy
Born in Sapporo City, Hokkaido. Completed a Masters program in Tokyo Gakugei University’s Graduate School of Education. During that time, he went on an international exchange to the Faculty of Philosophy at Germany’s Heidelberg University that prompted him to ask the philosophical questions of whether Japan is a happy country and what happiness entails. He is exploring practical strategies for increasing happiness through philosophy using the platforms of school education and “philosophy cafes.”
Ryota Akagi
born.April 30, 1994
Field research theme: Building and realizing a national vision that resolves multiple education issues
Born in Nisshin City, Aichi Prefecture. Graduated from Keio University’s Graduate School of Media and Governance. Working at a public elementary school in Fukuoka Prefecture, he realized that bringing in the perspectives of other areas such as welfare and economics was vital in resolving education issues. He joined MIGM to build a national vision shared across multiple fields, focusing on reforming school education, fixing disparities, and revitalizing local communities.
Kisa Shimizu
born.January 29, 1999
Field research theme: Realizing a society in which everyone actively pursues happiness with high self-esteem
Born in Miyazaki Prefecture. Graduated from the Department of Law within Kinki University’s Faculty of Law. Living overseas, she was impressed with people’s love for their country and their roots. She came to MIGM with the aim of laying out a path for Japan to continue to flourish prosperity in future years so as to eliminate unease about the future and realize a society in which everyone can cultivate self-esteem and actively pursue happiness.
Hiroki Deguchi
born.September 3, 1997
Field research theme: Family values for happiness in the 21st century
Born in Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture. Graduated from Doshisha University’s Department of Law. The high school students he met teaching at cram school during his studies, as well as his own experience, made him concerned about young people’s life paths and their relationships with their families in Japanese society. At MIGM, he plans to explore family values for happiness in the 21st century from diverse perspectives, life paths included.
Masashi Mito
born.February 12, 1997
Field research theme: Creation of a society that embraces diverse family values
Born in Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture. Graduated from the Division of Arts and Sciences in the College of Liberal Arts at the International Christian University. His home environment and cross-disciplinary learning at university made him concerned about the way that Japanese society forces dependence on the family at every life stage. He joined MIGM to explore the creation of a society that embraces diverse family values.
Shintaro Watanabe
born.November 8, 1992
Field research theme: Realizing social and economic decentralization, including the autonomous governance of regional economies
Born in Nasukarasuyama City, Tochigi Prefecture. Graduated from Gakushuin University’s Faculty of Economics. Working at the Ashikaga Bank and then the office of the Supporters’Association for the Tochigi Prefectural Governor, he recognized the need to address disparities between rural and urban areas and achieve regional revitalization. At MIGM, he aims to address the centralization of functions in Tokyo to realize much more social and economic decentralization out to regional areas.
