I was born in 1963 in Nara, Japan. After graduated from the Faculty of Education of Kobe University, I moved to Wood Research Institute, Kyoto University in 1987, and received my Doctorate Degree in 1993 from the Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, for the thesis titled 窶弃ermanent fixation of large compressed deformation in wood窶. In 1994, I was offered an assistant professor position in Wood Research Institute, and moved to Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University, in 2004. Current position is at the Asian Natural Environmental Science Center, the University of Tokyo, as an associate professor starting in 2005.
My major research is in wood processing. I have recently focused on the basic and applied studies on the principle, manufacturing system, evaluation, and utilization of compressed wood. Wood can be heightened its strength properties, and broader possibilities of design and processing by the transverse large compression, resulting in the improvement of common Asian low quality fast growing trees, such as Sugi, Falcata, Oil Palm, and Bamboo. In addition, as the applications of wood compression technique, new methods on liquid impregnation, and drying of green wood have been developed. The other recent concerns are in the production of high strength wood based composite, natural fibers reinforced plastics, and in the production and utilization of wooden connectors for timber constructions.
As briefly mentioned above, my research is aimed for the contribution to establish sustainable cycle of forest and forest products in Asia by creating and developing the prerequisite technology on novel bio-based composites and their production methods.