Personal profile:
1991 B.Sc. Agrobiology, University of Tokyo
1993 M. Sc. Agrobiology, University of Tokyo
1997 Ph.D. University of Queensland 窶弃hysiological basis of hybrid variation for grain yield and grain nitrogen concentration of grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) grown under different nitrogen levels.窶
1997 Project Scientist, International Rice Research Institute
1999 Assistant Professor, University of Tokyo
2006 Associate Professor, Asian Natural Environmental Science Center, University of Tokyo
Research:
My research background is crop science and agronomy, and I am interested in the mechanisms of crop use of water and nitrogen. I have been working on development of water-saving rice production system and breeding adapted rice genotypes under water limiting environments.
Since 2002 I work in a project to develop sustainable rice based cropping system in Northeast Thailand and Cambodia where irrigation system is not well developed. Reliable information of future available water resources (e.g. future rainfall pattern, effects of dam construction or deforestation), is one of the key factors for agricultural development, but such prediction is often very difficult. Our project is from field to farmer and village levels, and (1) monitor field level seasonal water availability, (2) evaluate agronomic manipulations under different degrees of water availability, and (3) clarify farmers窶 choices of various production techniques.
In Tama district in Tokyo where my laboratory is located, I work on development of local production and consumption system for wheat for bread making. This theme started in 2003 to innovate urban agriculture and reconsider not only low food self sufficiency rate in Japan but also extremely low regional food self-sufficiency rate in Tokyo.
Message:
I was grown up in the time when Japanese newspaper reported famines in Ethiopia, and I had an innocent dream when choosing my major in University that 窶彡rop science can solve problems of hunger and famine窶, which soon turned out to be not easy, because of highly specialized science, and complex structures between science and society. When I did my post doctoral fellowship in Philippines to conduct research for improvement of tropical rainfed rice production, I was confronted by my friend leader of 窶徙rganic agriculture窶 that modern agricultural science and green revolution from 1960窶冱 have had substantial negative impacts and that there have been alternative technologies for food production. I would like to consider the choices and ways of people窶冱 agricultural technologies and natural resource management as mirror of human-nature relationship. I would like to establish more holistic framework for this relationship and put science in proper places in society.