Ambassadors

• Ambassador of the United Mexican States H.E. Ms. Melba Pría

  

  Previously, she served as Ambassador of Mexico to India (2015-2019) and Indonesia (2007-2015), strengthening Mexico's diplomatic presence in Asia.
  She has over 40 years of experience in the public and private sectors in Mexico. Her work has focused on political and development objectives addressing key issues such as poverty, identity, tolerance, and supporting marginalized and ethnically diverse communities. At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she has worked in areas that promote the inclusion of various actors in international affairs, the development of the Ministry's relationship with civil society both nationally and internationally, and the protection of the rights of the Mexican diaspora in host countries.
  Committed to gender equity, diversity, and inclusion, she has mentored future generations of public servants and business leaders, fostering these values in their development.
  Melba Pría was born in Mexico City. She holds a degree in Sociology and two master’s degrees in Public Policy and International Studies, as well as a postgraduate degree in National Security and Strategic Studies. She has studied both in Mexico and abroad.
  She is the author of several books and publications on diversity and public policy.

• Ambassador of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan H.E. Ms. Lina ANNAB

  

  Lina Annab is the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipoten6ary of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to Japan since June 2019. Annab is a former Minister of Tourism and An6qui6es of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (June 2016 – November 2018). Prior to assuming her ministerial post in June 2016, Annab served as the CEO of Zara Investment Company (Holding), one of the leading hotel-owning and real estate companies in Jordan. Over the past 25 years, Annab worked at Ci6bank, Johnson & Johnson, and the Interna6onal Monetary Fund. Throughout most of her career she has worked in the USA, Europe, and various countries within the MENA Region. In December 2018, Annab was appointed as member of the Advisory Board at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. (Center for Contemporary Arab Studies (CCAS) - School of Foreign Service). Annab holds Master of Arts degree in Interna6onal Affairs from Georgetown University in Washington D.C. She also holds Bachelor of Arts degree in Poli6cal Economy and Foreign Languages and Literature from the University of Har`ord, Connec6cut. Annab is fluent in four languages (English, French, Italian and Spanish), and she is currently studying Japanese language.

• Ambassador of the Republic of Bulgaria H.E.Ms. Marieta Arabadjieva

  

  【Work History】

   

  2001

  Joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

  2001-04

  Attache, Embassy of Bulgaria in Tokyo

  2004-06

  Third Secretary and Officer for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Asia, Australia and Oceania Directorate, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

  2006-08

  Second Secretary and Head of Political Section, Embassy of Bulgaria in Tokyo

  2011-13

  First Secretary, Head of Political Section, and Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Bulgaria in Beijing

  December 2011-May 2012

  Charge d'Affaires a.i., Embassy of Bulgaria in Beijing

  2014-16

  First Secretary and Head of the China Section, Asia, Australia and Oceania Directorate, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

  2016-August 2020

  Deputy Chief of Mission, Head of Political Section, and Counsellor, Embassy of Bulgaria in Tokyo

  September 2020-21

  Counsellor, Asia, Australia and Oceania Directorate, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

  April 2021

  Ambassador

• Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia H.E. Ms. Aleksandra KOVAČ

  

  【Work History】

   

  2002-03

  Trainee, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

  2003-04

  Attache, Diplomatic Academy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

  2004

  Attache (for General Affairs), Embassy of Serbia in London

  2005

  Third Secretary, Directorate for Asia, Australia and Pacific, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

  2006-11

  Third Secretary (for Consular and Cultural Affairs), Embassy of Serbia in Tokyo

  2011-12

  Counsellor, State Secretariat, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

  2012-13

  First Counsellor, Cabinet of Minister of Foreign Affairs

  2013-14

  Director of Diplomatic Academy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

  2014-18

  Minister-Counsellor, Permanent Delegation to UNESCO

  2018-21

  Secretary General of the Commission of the Republic of Serbia for Cooperation with UNESCO and Head of UNESCO Unit, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

  August 2021

  Ambassador

• Ambassador of the Republic of Uganda H.E. Ms. KAAHWA Tophace

  

  【Work History】
  
  Parliament of Uganda May 2016 to May 2021 Woman Member of Parliament Hoima District
  Parliament of Uganda May 2011 to May 2016 Woman Member of Parliament Hoima District
  Buleera Core Primary Teachers College 21/8/2006 to 1/7/2010 Tutor/Acting Deputy Principle

• Ambassador of Norway H.E. Ms. Kristin IGLUM

  

  【Education History】
   
  1984 - 1988
  BI Norwegian Business School, Oslo Norway
  Degree: Master of Business
  1988 - 1989
  Universität Konstanz, Germany
  Licentiatstudium
  
  
  【Work History】
   
  1990 – 1991
  Adviser – Section for Oil, Ministry of Oil and Energy
  1991 – 1993
  Foreign Service Trainee - Ministry of Foreign Affairs
  1993 – 1996
  Embassy Secretary – Royal Norwegian Embassy in Beijing
  1996 – 1999
  Embassy Secretary – Royal Norwegian Embassy in Prague
  2000 – 2003
  Adviser – European Section, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
  2003 – 2005
  Head of Unit – Personnel Section, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
  2005 – 2009
  Deputy Consul General – Norwegian Consulate General New York
  2009 – 2011
  Senior Adviser – Section for East - Asia and Oceania, MFA
  2011 – 2012
  Assistant Director – Recruitment Section, MFA
  2012 – 2014
  Counsellor – Norwegian Embassy in Beijing
  2014 – 2017
  Minister Counsellor/DHoM – Norwegian Embassy in Beijing
  2017 – 2020
  Consul General – Norwegian Consulate General in Shanghai
  2020 – 2023
  Director, Section for Human Resources, Human and Financial Resources Department, MFA
  2023.10 -
  Ambassador of Norway to Japan

• Ambassador of the Republic of Rwanda H.E. Ms. Mukasine Marie Claire

  

  Ms. Mukasine Marie Claire, is the Ambassador of the Republic of Rwanda to Japan. With a distinguished career spanning four decades across civil society, public service, and the private sector. Ms. Mukasine’s journey encompasses pivotal positions of leadership. She has served as a Judge, Permanent Secretary within the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion and the Ministry of Infrastructure. She also served as a Senator in the Parliament of Rwanda and the President of the National Commission for Human Rights. In the private sector, she was Director General of SONARWA, a National Insurance Company in Rwanda and the Director General of the Rwanda Investment Group. She comes with a vast experience and profound insights poised to further enhance bilateral relations and promote Rwanda's interests on the global stage.

Keynote addresses

• Former Executive Director of the Bank of Japan / Director of Toyota Industries Corporation Tokiko Shimizu

  

  Tokiko Shimizu made history as the first woman to serve as an executive director of the Bank of Japan from May 2020 to May 2024, overseeing international relations. During her tenure, she represented the Bank of Japan at international conferences such as the G7 and G20. Joining the Bank of Japan in 1987, she gained experience in financial markets and prudential policy, holding various key positions including general manager for Europe, and branch manager of both the Takamatsu and Nagoya branches. Since June 2024, she is the director at Toyota Industries Corporation. Additionally, in August 2024, she became the CEO of EmEco Inc., a company she founded to enhance human capital.
  Shimizu graduated from the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Tokyo in 1987 and obtained a master’s degree in international political economy from Stanford University in 1994.

Female Executives

• Mentor For Co., Ltd. Representative Director and President Masako Ikehara

  

  Masako Ikehara earned her master’s degree in Adult Education from Waseda University and Waseda University Graduate School. She began her career at a PR company, and after changing roles, she engaged in human resource development at an education-related NPO and consulting firm. She later obtained a master’s degree in Executive Master in Change (EMC) from INSEAD.
  Following her entrepreneurial venture, she experienced pregnancy and was faced with the challenge of solo parenting while her partner was assigned overseas. This experience inspired her to launch a business focusing on external mentorship for promoting Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) and corporate matching services.
  After two and a half years of managing solo parenting, she spent an additional two years developing her business while living between Germany and Japan. She also completed the Advancing Diversity and Inclusion course at INSEAD, deepening her expertise in D&I.
  Ikehara has received numerous accolades, including the 4th Tokyo Women Entrepreneurs Award and the 21st Female Entrepreneur Award. She is also the author of "The Textbook for 1-on-1 Meetings with Female Subordinates and Juniors".

• CEO, KURABITO STAY Inc. Marika Tazawa

  

  Marika Tazawa, originally from Komoro-shi in Nagano Prefecture, began her career at a major travel agency and later worked in the wine division of a major food company. Afterward, she returned to her hometown of Komoro as a member of the local revitalization cooperation team, contributing to the establishment of the Komoro Tourism Bureau.
  In 2019, as part of her efforts in regional revitalization through tourism development, she founded KURABITO STAY Inc. and took on the role of the CEO. In 2020, she launched the world's first sake brewery hotel, KURABITO STAY, where guests can experience the sake brewing process firsthand. Her company offers a unique service that attracts sake enthusiasts from both Japan and abroad.

• CEO, WizGroup Inc. / Chairperson, Health and Wellbeing Alliance Hiromi Okuda

  

  Hiromi Okuda completed her graduate studies in Social Welfare at the University of Mumbai (formerly known as University of Bombay) in India. In 1991, she founded a conference business specializing in IT. She established WizGroup Inc. in 2001 and has been actively supporting startup growth since 2008, beginning her role as an ecosystem builder for startups. In 2013, she founded Takara no Yama Inc. in a depopulated area to explore how IT can address regional social issues. She also runs a workshop called "School of Disruption," which immerses participants in local social challenges.
  In 2020, Okuda established the Health and Wellbeing Alliance (HAWA) and is currently running the WOMB business incubator program for wellbeing. She serves on various committees, including as Chair of the Ministry of the Environment’s “Environmental Startup Awards,” as a judge for the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry’s “Unexplored IT Talent Discovery and Development Program,” and as a member of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare’s “Medical Venture Promotion Council.”
  Her publications include “The Choice to Not Quit Your Job” (Nikkei BP), “Life Succeeds with a Leap of Faith” (Sogo Horei Publishing), and “Just Do What You Like!” (PHP Publishing).

• CEO, otetsutabi Co., Ltd. Rina Nagaoka

  

  Born in 1990 in Owase-shi, Mie Prefecture, Rina Nagaoka graduated from Chiba University. After working in PR and event planning for a promotion company and contributing to a Japanese cuisine promotion project with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, she ventured into independent business. In July 2018, she founded otetsutabi Co., Ltd.
  Her company operates a talent matching service that connects local businesses experiencing short-term or seasonal labor shortages (such as farmers and inns) with individuals who wish to enjoy traveling while working. Through this initiative, participants build relationships with local communities and are increasingly returning to the same areas, contributing to the expansion of regional populations.

• CEO, Silky Style Inc. / Chairperson, Japan FemTech Association Naoko Yamada

  

  After working in planning and development for a major lingerie manufacturer, Naoko Yamada became the world's first lingerie concierge upon her independent venture. As an expert in women's bodies and lingerie, she has focused on research and communication in this field. She founded Silky Style Inc., where for 17 years she has developed products such as innerwear, cosmetics, and health goods tailored to women's specific concerns.
  Inspired by her own experience with female health issues, in 2021 she co-founded the Japan FemTech Association with doctors, business leaders, medical journalists, and career consultants. As a chairperson, she promotes the importance of women's health literacy to address the unique fluctuations experienced by women, through magazines, TV, corporate engagements, and government initiatives. Yamada is also the mother of two sons.

• Associate Professor, School of Medicine, Showa University / Director, Japan Menopause and Women's Health Association Makiko Arima

  

  Makiko Arima graduated from Gakushuin Women's High School and completed her Master’s in Public Health at Boston University School of Medicine. After working at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, she returned to Japan to become a researcher at the National Institute of Public Health. She has been involved in research on healthcare policies and public health both domestically and internationally. In 2006, she completed her doctoral studies at Tokyo Medical and Dental University.
  Following her tenure at the Student Support and Health Management Center at Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Arima joined Showa University School of Medicine in 2020. Her primary research focus is on the impact of menopausal symptoms on professional life, and she is engaged in studies related to career support for individuals across various generations and research on diversity, including diverse working styles.

• CEO, TRULY Inc. Mimako Ninomiya

  

  Mimako Ninomiya joined Hakuhodo in 2007, where she worked in sales, managing accounts for telecommunications carriers and major esthetic salons. During her third year with the company, she experienced severe morning sickness during pregnancy, which underscored for her the significant impact of female hormones on women's mental and physical health.
  After returning to work, she initiated a product development project focused on women within the company's business development department. In 2020, she founded TRULY Inc. to address issues related to menopause. Ninomiya is also a mother of a teenage son.

Moderator

• Forbes JAPAN Executive Officer Web Editorial Department Chief Editor Yuka Tanimoto

  

  Topic: The Challenges and Opportunities of Women in Leadership – Collective Actions for Social Transformation
  
  Aruka Tanimoto began her career as a financial and economic anchor at a securities firm and Bloomberg TV, before earning her MBA in the United States. She served as a news caster at Nikkei CNBC and was the company's first female commentator. She has conducted interviews with over 4,000 VIPs, including Audrey Tang, Taiwan's Digital Minister; Tony Blair, former Prime Minister of the UK; and Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple.
  She is a researcher, adjunct lecturer, and advisory board member at the Institute for 21st Century Social Design, Rikkyo University. Tanimoto has been in her current role at Forbes JAPAN since January 1, 2022.

• Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), i-PRO Co., Ltd. Sachiko Okamoto

  

  Topic: Investing in Women to Drive Innovation in Regional Areas
  
  Sachiko Okamoto has served as the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) at i-PRO Co., Ltd., a company spun off from Panasonic. Her career includes roles at Prudential Life Insurance, Boston Consulting Group, Philip Morris Japan, and Saint-Gobain. Throughout her career, she has focused on advancing diversity and inclusion within both multinational and domestic companies. Additionally, she contributes as an official mentor for Mentor For, supporting the career development of women working in various organizations.
  Okamoto graduated from Keio University and earned her MBA from Stanford University. She is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) through CTI in the U.S., an MBTI Certified Practitioner, and a Master Practitioner of NLP.

• Director, Mentor For Inc. Momoko Miyamoto

  

  Topic: How FemTech can Transform the Future of Organizations - Where Working Women Shine
  
  Momoko Miyamoto graduated from the faculty of visual arts at Nihon University. She began her career at Tohokushinsha Co., Ltd., and subsequently joined Yahoo Japan Corporation, where she worked for approximately 15 years. During her tenure, she gained experience in sales and business promotion, eventually managing the sales planning department.
  Following her time at Yahoo Japan, Miyamoto served as an executive officer at a venture company and then as the Executive Officer and Head of Customer Engagement at Kaonavi Inc., where she played a key role in organizational development and the company’s listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Mothers section.
  In addition to her primary roles, she supports several startups as a side project and works as a mentor and coach. In 2023, she co-founded TanoBa LLC. Miyamoto joined Mentor For as a director in April 2021, where she collaborates on DE&I initiatives across various organizations. She also provides mentoring to numerous women in management and top leadership positions across different industries as an official mentor for Mentor For.

• CEO, SKYAH Inc. Yukari Hara

  

  Topic: The Possibilities of "Learning" for Women to Take the Next Step
  
  Yukari Hara was born in Imabari-shi, Ehime Prefecture. After graduating from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, she joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In 2012, she established the Ghana NGO MY DREAM.org. Following her departure from the Ministry, she worked at Mitsui & Co.'s South Africa branch and with African businesses before founding SKYAH Inc. in 2018. Her company supports Japanese businesses in African market development and provides mentoring.
  Hara also serves as a lecturer at institutions such as Dokkyo University (Social Business Theory), GLOBIS (Social Venture Management), Minerva University (Managing Complexity), Nikkei Business School (Social Design), and FC Imabari High School. She holds positions as an external director at Imabari Yume Sports and Haraplex, and as a board member at the Social Design and Business Lab. In 2022, she was appointed as a member of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Expert Advisory Council on Development Cooperation. She is also a BCMA Certified Career Mentor and holds a master’s degree in public health from Columbia University.

• Professor Emerita, Obirin University / President, Association for Intercultural Management Emiko Magoshi

  

  Topic: Breaking Gender Biases to Create a Society Where Everyone Can Thrive in Work and Life
  
  Emiko Magoshi is currently a Professor Emerita at Obirin University, President of the Association for Intercultural Management, Director at Daihen Corporation, and Director and Audit Committee Member at AXA Holdings Japan Co., Ltd.
  She graduated from Sophia University and completed her graduate studies at Keio University, where she earned a master’s degree in economics and a Doctorate in Academic Studies. Her career includes roles as a simultaneous interpreter, CEO of Interlink Inc., Professor at Tokyo Junshin University, NHK Radio Lecturer, Public Member of the Tokyo Labor Committee, and Liaison Member of the Science Council of Japan. She has also served as a professor and Vice President at Obirin University, Director at Hitachi Transport System, Inc., and Advisory Board Member at YKK Corporation.
  Magoshi has authored numerous works, including "Diversity Management and Intercultural Management". She is actively engaged in lectures, writing, and jazz vocal performances.

Female Chiefs