Resource Recycling Council has newly established the position of councilor to advise the board of directors on project execution. We are pleased to announce that the following individuals have been appointed.

Click here for an introduction to the councilors＞＞

| Councilor Chairperson

Hiroshi Komiyama (President, Platinum Society Network; Chairman, Mitsubishi Research Institute, Inc.; 28th President of the University of Tokyo)

＜Profile＞

Graduated from the Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, the University of Tokyo, in 1967. Completed a doctoral program at the Graduate School of Engineering, the University of Tokyo, in 1972. Served as Professor in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Tokyo in 1988, then as Dean of the Graduate School of Engineering and Faculty of Engineering in 2000. In April 2005, he assumed the position of the 28th President of the University of Tokyo. After stepping down in March 2009, he became Chairman of Mitsubishi Research Institute in April 2009. In August 2010, he founded the Platinum Society Network to promote innovation toward the realization of a “Platinum Society,” which aims for a sustainable and hopeful future society with a focus on the quality of life and society. He has served as President of this network, which was established as a general incorporated association in 2022.
His areas of expertise include chemical system engineering, global environmental engineering, and knowledge structuring. He is also a leading authority on global warming issues.
He has authored numerous books, including Technology for Global Sustainability (Iwanami Shinsho), “The Advanced Issues” Japan (Chuo Koron Shinsha), and Japan “Recreation” (Toyo Keizai Inc.), among others. Some have been translated into English and Chinese.
His many honors and awards include the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure in 2020, the Dubai Knowledge Award in 2017, the Special Award of the Zaikai Award in 2016, the Marine Nation Promotion Contribution Award in 2016, the Ordine della Stella della Solidarietà Italiana in 2007, and many others in Japan and abroad.

| Councilors (in Japanese alphabetical order)

Tamotsu Okamoto (Advisor, The Japan Council of Local Authorities for International Relations; Former Vice Minister, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications)

＜Profile＞

Joined the Ministry of Home Affairs in 1974. Served as Director-General of the Local Public Finance Bureau of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications in 2006, Director-General of the Local Administration Bureau in 2007, Director-General of the Fire and Disaster Management Agency in 2008, and Senior Vice Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications (in charge of local administration) in 2009. Became Vice Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications in 2010 and retired in 2012.
He then became Advisor to the Nomura Institute of Capital Markets Research in 2013, served as Chairman of the Japan Council of Local Authorities for International Relations in 2014, and has been an Advisor there since 2024.

 

Takao Kitabata (President, Kaishi Professional University; Former Vice Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry)

＜Profile＞

After graduating from Mita Gakuen High School (private) and the University of Tokyo’s Faculty of Law, he joined the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (now the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) in 1972. He served as Director-General of the Minister’s Secretariat in 2002, Director-General of the Economic and Industrial Policy Bureau in 2004, Vice Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry in 2006, and retired in 2008.
After retiring, he served as Special Advisor to Nippon Life Insurance Company (October 2008–September 2010), External Director of Kobe Steel, Ltd. (June 2010–June 2022), External Audit & Supervisory Board Member of Marubeni Corporation (June 2010–June 2013), External Director of Marubeni Corporation (June 2013–June 2022), Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Mita Gakuen (June 2013–March 2019), Principal of Mita Gakuen Junior and Senior High School (April 2014–March 2015), and Chairman of the Board of Directors at Kobe Steel, Ltd. (June 2019–June 2022).
He currently serves as an External Director of ZEON Corporation (since June 2014), an External Director of Seiren Co., Ltd. (since June 2014), and an External Director of Miroku Jyoho Service Co., Ltd. (since June 2022).

Kenshi Matsuyama (Chairman, Institute for Comprehensive Studies on the Economy and Society; Former Vice Minister, Cabinet Office)

＜Profile＞

After graduating from the Faculty of Economics at the University of Tokyo, he joined the Economic Planning Agency. After serving as Section Chief and Councilor, he was involved in policy planning mainly in the field of economic and fiscal policy at the Cabinet Office. During this time, he also contributed to the establishment of the Consumer Affairs Agency. From 2014 to 2016, he served as Vice Minister at the Cabinet Office.
After retiring, he worked as an Advisor at the Japan Research Institute, among other roles, and now serves as Chairman of the Institute for Comprehensive Studies on the Economy and Society. He also served as Advisor to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and Advisor to the Cabinet Office.
At the Institute for Comprehensive Studies on the Economy and Society, he promotes research and proposals aimed at realizing “Well-Being Capitalism,” which creates both social value—such as sustainability and the natural environment—and economic value.

＜Hideki Minamikawa (Chairman, Japan Environmental Sanitation Center; Former Vice Minister, Ministry of the Environment)

＜Profile＞

After attending Mie Prefectural Yokkaichi High School and graduating from Nagoya University’s Faculty of Economics, he joined the Environment Agency (now Ministry of the Environment) in 1974. He was seconded to the OECD from 1977 to 1978 and to the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy in the Ministry of International Trade and Industry from 1980 to 1982. He served as Director of the General Affairs Division, Minister’s Secretariat, Ministry of the Environment in 2001 and subsequently held positions as Counselor, Director of Waste Management and Recycling Department, Director-General of the Nature Conservation Bureau, Director-General of the Global Environment Bureau, Director-General of the Minister’s Secretariat, Deputy Vice Minister for the Environment, and Vice Minister for the Environment. He retired in July 2013, served as Advisor to the Ministry of the Environment (in charge of Fukushima), resigned from that advisory position in February 2014, and in the same year assumed the role of Chairman of the Japan Environmental Sanitation Center (current position). He was also a Visiting Professor at the Faculty of Economics, Tokyo Keizai University (April 2014–March 2018), a Visiting Professor at Waseda University’s Research Organization for Science & Engineering (April 2014–March 2018), a Visiting Professor at Yokohama National University’s Center for Environment (April 2015–March 2018), served as an international committee member of China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development in 2017, and received the Chinese Government Friendship Award in September 2019.
During his tenure as Vice Minister, his main responsibilities included managing disaster waste after the Great East Japan Earthquake, decontamination of radioactive materials dispersed by the TEPCO nuclear accident, planning the nuclear regulatory framework, international negotiations related to global warming, and domestic and international initiatives for low-carbon development.
He has authored Overview of Waste Management Administration and Japan’s Experience—The Path to Environmental Improvement (in Chinese).
His hobbies include track and field (long distance), swimming, and reading classical literature extensively.