2025 Watanabe Fellows

Takashi Ishimori is a manager of the Asia and Oceania Section of Global Strategic Planning & Marketing Group at Mitsubishi Electric Corporation. He oversees operations for sales subsidiaries in the Asian region. He began his career at a trading company specializing in steel, where he handled international sales across Asia, the Americas, and Europe. In 2014, he joined Mitsubishi Electric and was responsible for overseas sales of electrical equipment for metro systems in India, contributing to the successful order of the Pune Metro Project through close collaboration with local partners. He was seconded to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, and from 2021 to 2023 he helped strengthen Japan-Europe economic relations through frameworks such as the Japan-EU EPA and the Japan-UK EPA.

Misako Kono is a senior officer in the Global Partnerships Department of The Japan Foundation. She works on multiple grant and fellowship programs related to US-Japan, ASEAN-Japan, and Indo Pacific regions. From 2021 to 2024 she was an assistant director in the Japanese Studies, Global Partnerships, Japanese Language Training for EPA Nurses and Caregivers, and Communication divisions at Japan Foundation, Jakarta. She also worked with community-based initiatives on waste management and disaster mitigation while based in Jakarta.

Sato Sekimoto is the manager for the General Affairs Division of the International Affairs Bureau of the City of Yokohama. After completing a master’s degree at the London School of Economics and Political Science, she worked as a consultant on disaster management projects in Southeast Asia and research on overseas environmental regulations and schemes. In 2011, she joined the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), where she worked on development projects in the Pacific region and wrote an analytical paper on the region. After joining the City of Yokohama in 2013, she worked in a department promoting public-private partnerships, and is currently in charge of international exchange with the Americas region.

Risa Shibata is a representative at the JICA Laos Office, where she oversees the education, sports, and tourism sectors. Her responsibilities include projects in both basic and higher education, as well as projects promoting inclusive sports operations. Previously, Ms. Shibata also worked at JICA Headquarters in Tokyo. She was responsible for basic education projects such as developing mathematics textbooks and engaging in community development initiatives in the African Region. As part of her assignment, she also has experience working in Ethiopia. Ms. Shibata holds a MA in International Affairs from Columbia University, a MA in Public Policy from the University of Tokyo, and a BA in Human Sciences from Osaka University.  

Daisuke Shirakawa is a producer for the evening news program News Zero at Nippon Television Network Corporation. Since coming out as gay in 2018, he has done extensive reporting on issues affecting the Japanese LGBTQ community. In 2021, he led the revision of his company’s personnel system, ensuring that employees with same-sex partners are treated equally to those with opposite-sex spouses—a first in Japan’s commercial broadcasting industry. In 2024, he played a leading role in the launch of Colorful Weekend, the first station-wide campaign focusing on DEI in Japanese commercial broadcasting. Having studied under Chizuko Ueno, one of Japan’s most prominent feminist sociologists, he has supervised several TV drama series featuring LGBTQ characters, combining both gender studies and his lived experience as a queer individual. He continues to work toward expanding diversity across the industry as vice-chair of the labor union in the broadcasting sector.

Hiromi Shirakura has fifteen years of experience at Nippon Yusen Kaisha, where as of April 2025 she is in charge of secretarial duties to the president. Over the years, she has worked in Tokyo and Bangkok, gaining various experience across multiple roles, including sales, legal affairs, and human resources. In the Human Resources group, she was responsible for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, particularly promoting DEI from a gender perspective. Her responsibilities included designing and implementing HR policies and DEI-related training programs that aligned with the company’s management plan.

Ayumi Wajima leads the Planning Department at Banco MUFG Brasil S.A., where she oversees corporate strategy, governance, and critical projects. She also contributes to the Japanese community in São Paulo through her roles in Japanese School and Japanese chamber of commerce. She began her career at The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd., where she gained comprehensive training in various banking operations. She served as a banking officer in multiple branches, managing transactions for small and medium-sized enterprises. In 2015, Ayumi transitioned to the IT Solutions Department, leading a significant system implementation project for a branch in Southeast Asia. Following the bank’s rebranding to MUFG Bank, Ltd., she took on managerial roles in New York, focusing on strategic planning and platform management for offices across the Americas.

Chihiro Yago is a high school English teacher at Takaoka High School in Toyama Prefecture. She also promotes project-based learning as a member of the curriculum innovation team. After beginning her career in education, she served as a JICA volunteer in Honduras, where her experience in local schools shaped her understanding of education and global perspectives. Upon returning to Japan, she worked with the Yamada Town Board of Education in Iwate Prefecture, contributing to the educational recovery following the Great East Japan Earthquake. In 2019, she was appointed International Commissioner and Board Member of the Girl Scouts of Japan, where she advocates for gender equality and helps build an environment that supports the full potential of young girls. She holds a master’s degree in Development Studies with a focus on gender issues.

The eight Fellows of the inaugural Toshizo Watanabe Democracy Fellowship in 2024 spent nearly two weeks in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., from July 14 to July 26. During this period, they visited government agencies, nonprofits, and think tanks, engaging in a range of interactions and learning experiences.

Bios and Reflections