Industrial Technology Center of Wakayama Prefecture
Koji Ukegawa
Born in Kawanoe (now Shikokuchuo), Ehime in 1947.
BS in Fuel Engineering from the Faculty of Engineering, The University of Tokyo.
PhD from the School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo.
Joined the National Research Institute for Pollution and Resources, Ministry of International Trade and Industry.
Energy Resources Department Director, National Institute for Resources and Enviroment, Ministry of International Trade and Industry.
Vice President, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), and AIST Kansai Director.
Director, Industrial Technology Center of Wakayama Prefecture.
My parents’ home was near the coast where the waves pound the shore at the boundary between Ehime Prefecture and Kagawa Prefecture. We moved to the foothills of Kobe when I was two, so my childhood was filled with greenery. Come summer, I recall how we would swim in the Sumiyoshi River and dam reservoirs until it became pitch black. My father taught math at Kobe University, so with that kind of family environment, I wanted to find a job that would allow me to pursue my dreams as some kind of engineer, which is how I came to my present career.
My field of specialty is petrochemicals and oil refining, so I have long researched technologies for producing various products from oil and breaking down heavy crude into lighter oils like gasoline and kerosene. Because the basis of dealing with petroleum is about developing technologies with a long-term perspective of the national economy, hypotheses with regards to needs and research topics are slowly developed within plans for the future. Though, in Japans case, emphasis is always placed on organization, I think the right approach to research is to pursue first and foremost needs then human resources. At present, I am directing research into the needs of small and medium size businesses of Wakayama Prefecture that I can sense for myself. I am not taking part in the symposium as a direct expert: instead I want to lend a hand from the perspective of effectively utilizing the prefecture’s resources on behalf of a public research institute of the prefecture.
At present, the risks associated with a dwindling birthrate and growing elderly population in Japan are being viewed as problems. When looked at globally, all countries will see their populations age, therefore Japan should look at the situation as an opportunity to show its leadership in the world with regard to a plethora of issues such as food shortages, care insufficiencies, antiquated healthcare systems and so forth. I view this international symposium on rice as a part of that and I am hoping that important results will come from it.
| Hobbies: | Ping-pong, golf, go |
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| In Wakayama: | There is famous river in Hongucho, Tanabe known as the Ukegawa and, for some reason, I think something to do with my universe is there, so I want to visit there. |