Please tell us about your field of expertise.
My specialization is ecology, and I hold a degree in the field of forest ecology.
Ecology covers a wide range of scales, and the research focus and approach vary depending on which level one studies—from the microscopic gene level, to the individual, population, community, and ultimately to the macroscopic landscape level.
My research focuses on the landscape level, examining ecological phenomena while also integrating the social dimensions of ecosystem management. In this context, “landscape” is defined as a spatial scale that includes both ecological and social systems.
Because this research requires integrating diverse data sources across large spatial scales, I also specialize in statistical analysis, which is an essential part of data science.
What inspired you to enter this field?
When I was in high school, I was a member of the biology club and originally planned to study biology in the Faculty of Science. However, during a training camp with the club, I climbed a mountain and saw a beautiful natural forest of Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi). I was deeply moved and thought, “I want to conserve this! I want to work with forests!”
That experience changed my career path—I decided to major in forest science and entered the Faculty of Agriculture.
As I began my research, I realized that conserving forests requires understanding not only the forests themselves but also the surrounding environments that shape them. This led me to study the broader landscape, including land use, agriculture, and the lives of local people around the forests.
What is your current research theme?
At Gtech, our mission is to connect research from the microscopic to the macroscopic level and link it to practical implementation in society.
My contribution is adopting a landscape-level, macroscopic perspective on agriculture.
For instance, microbial experiments are currently being conducted at the university’s experimental fields, but when considering implementation in society, it is necessary to verify what results will be expected in environments beyond these experimental fields.
To bridge this gap, I employ satellite imagery to scale up field-level findings to the landscape level. By analyzing satellite data, we can estimate large-scale patterns such as paddy field conditions, rice growth stages, and even greenhouse gas emissions.
Based on these analyses, it becomes possible to simulate and predict the potential outcomes of implementing Gtech’s technologies in other agricultural regions.
How do you collaborate with other researchers at Gtech?
One key area of collaboration is the large-scale estimation of methane emissions from rice paddies.
In satellite observation, we can obtain various types of data, but there are limits to spatial resolution. To address this limitation, we combine field data from microbiological research (micro-level) and drone-based imagery (meso-level) with satellite data (macro-level).
It’s a bit like cooking: we think about which ingredients to use and how to prepare them to create the desired dish.
In this analogy, the “dish” is estimating methane emissions from rice paddies. The “ingredients” include field data provided by microbiologists, drone imagery collected by smart agriculture researchers, and the satellite images that I analyze.
The exciting part of landscape ecology is discovering the most effective way to combine these ingredients—this process often leads to new scientific “recipes” and insights.
What makes research at Gtech unique?
What makes Gtech particularly special is its ability to share data across disciplines.
Although my expertise is ecology, there is only so much one can do alone. Through Gtech, we can share data and collaborate with researchers in other fields, enabling multifaceted analyses and deeper insights.
While satellite data has become more accessible in recent years, the field data collected by microbiologists—painstakingly gathered through years of on-site observation—can now be applied to other disciplines. This kind of interdisciplinary data integration has become possible precisely because of Gtech.
What are your goals and mission at Gtech?
A central concept in my research is scenario analysis, which employs techniques such as backcasting and forecasting to develop future scenarios.
For example, when envisioning a desirable future, we can use these approaches to project what actions we should take now to achieve that goal in 30 or 40 years. These future-oriented scenarios help guide our decision-making.
One of my current research topics is to estimate large-scale methane emissions from paddy fields treated with beneficial microorganisms. If this research succeeds, it will provide essential data for scenario analysis—helping us understand the long-term impacts of different agricultural practices.
Since food production is indispensable to human life, I aim to continue developing scenarios that explore how we can preserve the environment while sustaining agriculture. Ultimately, I hope to contribute to solving environmental challenges through the cumulative progress of daily research.
What distinguishes Gtech at Ibaraki University?
In conducting scenario analysis with the goal of transforming society, technology plays a central role. Of course, education and human resources are also important, but the core driver is technological innovation.
In that regard, the Faculty of Agriculture at Ibaraki University has a long history in the field of environmental conservation agriculture. Compared with other universities, we possess extensive long-term datasets.
Technologies related to environmental conservation agriculture do not produce results overnight—they require decades of careful cultivation and observation. I believe that this accumulated expertise is one of Gtech’s greatest strengths.
Do you have a message for those interested in Gtech?
To realize the vision of environmental conservation agriculture, research and technology are essential—but equally important are the people who take an active interest and engage with these efforts.
At the university, we host open campus events and organize local resource management activities, such as working with students to find sustainable ways to manage abandoned bamboo forests.
I would be delighted if local people could join us through these opportunities. Even in daily life, simply being mindful of how the food you buy is produced connects you to our activities at Gtech. I hope more people will discover those connections.
Do you have a message for students?
The Faculty of Agriculture at Ibaraki University has a long tradition of field-based research in environmental conservation agriculture, so I strongly encourage students to visit and experience it firsthand.
Today, data science is essential across all disciplines. With information science now part of high school curricula, students’ awareness and curiosity are growing—many come to me with insightful questions after class. I, too, continue to study and evolve my own skills.
In my laboratory, we emphasize fieldwork—observing plants, animals, and management practices—and analyzing the data we collect from those field surveys. I welcome students interested in living organisms, nature, and the environment to join us in exploring this fascinating field.