Joichi Ito

President of the Chiba Institute of Technology. Co-Founder of Digital Garage and the Neurodiversity School in Tokyo.

Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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About

Ito is the President of the Chiba Institute of Technology, an academic institution in Japan that fosters interdisciplinary research and education in engineering, science, and social sciences. He holds a PhD in Media and Governance from Keio University.

With over 30 years of experience in various leadership, advisory, and entrepreneurial roles, he has been at the forefront of innovation and transformation in web3, blockchain, AI, health, media, and social impact. He is passionate about creating and supporting initiatives that harness the power of technology to solve global challenges and improve human well-being.

Ito is also the Co-Founder of Digital Garage and the Neurodiversity School in Tokyo.

He served as Director of the MIT Media Lab from 2011 to 2019 and was previously the Chief Executive of Creative Commons. He has also been a Board Member at The New York Times, Sony, the Knight Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, ICANN, and The Mozilla Foundation.

Articles by Joichi

  • How Pottery Tells History: Tracing the Roots of Chanoyu in Karatsu
    Jul 14, 2025

    How Pottery Tells History: Tracing the Roots of Chanoyu in Karatsu

    We visited Tonoyama Kiln in Saga Prefecture, near Nagoya Castle, where tea bowls and potters from China and Korea often…

    1 Comment
  • On Disobedience
    Mar 22, 2016

    On Disobedience

    Originally posted on my blog. Last night, I was on a panel about DRM with Richard Stallman from the Free Software…

    35 Comments
  • Why anti-money laundering laws and poorly designed copyright laws are similar and should be revised
    Mar 18, 2016

    Why anti-money laundering laws and poorly designed copyright laws are similar and should be revised

    First published on Mar 12, 2016 | Last Published on Mar 13, 2016 Published this on pubpub.ito.

    8 Comments
  • Why Bitcoin is and isn't like the Internet
    Jan 18, 2015

    Why Bitcoin is and isn't like the Internet

    In the post that follows I’m trying to develop what I see to be strong analogues to another crucial period/turning…

    133 Comments
  • Beyond "The Uncanny Valley"
    Jan 17, 2015

    Beyond "The Uncanny Valley"

    This year's annual Edge question was "What do you think about machines that think?" Here's my answer: "You can't think…

    40 Comments
  • Why I joined PureTech
    Oct 20, 2014

    Why I joined PureTech

    When I became the director of the MIT Media Lab three years ago, my previous primary "occupation" was investing in and…

    10 Comments
  • Antidisciplinary
    Sep 30, 2014

    Antidisciplinary

    One of the first words that I learned when I joined the Media Lab was "antidisciplinary." It was listed an a…

    32 Comments
  • Gurus, goals and mindfulness
    Sep 21, 2014

    Gurus, goals and mindfulness

    I remember my 24th birthday very clearly. It was 1990.

    46 Comments
  • Kitchen counter bio hacking
    Aug 21, 2014

    Kitchen counter bio hacking

    I first heard about Synbiota at SXSWi this year, when they won an Accelerator Award. According to the announcement…

    10 Comments
  • Shenzhen trip report - visiting the world's manufacturing ecosystem
    Aug 17, 2014

    Shenzhen trip report - visiting the world's manufacturing ecosystem

    More photos on Flickr. Last year, a group of Media Lab students visited Shenzhen with, bunnie, an old friend and my…

    50 Comments
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Activity

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Experience

  • Cabinet Office, Government of Japan

    Cabinet Office, Government of Japan

    1 year 11 months

  • Member

    Artificial Intelligence Development Council under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan

    - Present 9 months

  • Gelephu Mindfulness City Graphic

    Board Member

    Gelephu Mindfulness City

    - Present 1 year 5 months

    Bhutan

  • Gelephu Investment and Development Corporation (GIDC) Graphic

    Board Chair

    Gelephu Investment and Development Corporation (GIDC)

    - Present 1 year 8 months

    Bhutan

  • Kodansha Ltd. Graphic

    特任顧問 / Vision Advisor

    Kodansha Ltd.

    - Present 2 years

  • Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry Graphic

    Advisory Board Member

    Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

    - Present 2 years

    Tokyo, Japan

    Demonstration Project for the Construction of Digital Public Goods Using Web 3.0 and Blockchain

  • KEIZAI DOYUKAI Japan Association of Corporate Executives

    KEIZAI DOYUKAI Japan Association of Corporate Executives

    2 years 10 months

  • 認定NPO法人 Hands On Tokyo Graphic

    Advisory Council Member

    認定NPO法人 Hands On Tokyo

    - Present 2 years 3 months

    Tokyo, Japan

  • Chiba Institute of Technology

    Chiba Institute of Technology

    4 years 4 months

  • FRAME00, INC. Graphic

    Board Member

    FRAME00, INC.

    - Present 2 years 9 months

    Tokyo, Japan

  • Suntory Holdings Limited Graphic

    Global Digital Advisor

    Suntory Holdings Limited

    - Present 2 years 8 months

    Tokyo, Japan

  • Neurodiversity School in Tokyo Graphic

    Representative Chair

    Neurodiversity School in Tokyo

    - Present 2 years 10 months

    Tokyo, Japan

  • Animoca Brands

    Animoca Brands

    3 years 5 months

    • Animoca Brands Graphic

      Chairman of the Board, Animoca KK

      Animoca Brands

      - Present 3 years

      Tokyo, Japan

    • Animoca Brands Graphic

      Board Member, Animoca Brands KK

      Animoca Brands

      - Present 3 years 5 months

      Tokyo, Japan

  • Fujita Health University

    Fujita Health University

    3 years 5 months

  • Advisor

    Sharing Economy Association Japan

    - Present 3 years 4 months

    Tokyo, Japan

  • MUFG Graphic

    Advisor

    MUFG

    - Present 3 years 5 months

  • Henkaku Center Graphic

    Director

    Henkaku Center

    - Present 4 years 4 months

  • デジタル庁 / Digital Agency

    デジタル庁 / Digital Agency

    4 years 6 months

  • gmjp Graphic

    Director

    gmjp

    - Present 3 years 5 months

    An early stage web3 fund with a Japan focus, but investing globally.

  • Happiness Capital Graphic

    Non-Executive Board Chair

    Happiness Capital

    - Present 3 years 10 months

    Hong Kong SAR

  • Digital Garage

    Digital Garage

    19 years 6 months

  • Henkaku Community Graphic

    Co-Founder

    Henkaku Community

    - Present 4 years 6 months

  • Neoteny Graphic

    Partner

    Neoteny

    - Present 10 years 11 months

    Greater Boston Area

    Small venture investment fund no longer making new investments.

  • Keio University Graphic

    Guest Researcher

    Keio University

    - Present 4 years 9 months

  • PADI Graphic

    IDC Staff Instructor

    PADI

    - Present 14 years 10 months

    Certified to teach: Assistant Instructor, Divemaster, Master Scuba Diver, Open Water Diver, Wreck, Underwater Video, Underwater Photography, Search & Recovery, Night Diving, Underwater Navigation, Underwater Naturalist, Emergency O2 Provider, Dry Suit, Drift, Deep, Boat, Fish ID, AWARE Coral Reef Conservation, Project Aware, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Digital Underwater Photography, EFR & Care for Children w/AED, Marine Life Injuries, On-Site Neurological Assessment, Shark Awareness, AED for…

    Certified to teach: Assistant Instructor, Divemaster, Master Scuba Diver, Open Water Diver, Wreck, Underwater Video, Underwater Photography, Search & Recovery, Night Diving, Underwater Navigation, Underwater Naturalist, Emergency O2 Provider, Dry Suit, Drift, Deep, Boat, Fish ID, AWARE Coral Reef Conservation, Project Aware, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Digital Underwater Photography, EFR & Care for Children w/AED, Marine Life Injuries, On-Site Neurological Assessment, Shark Awareness, AED for divers, O2 Admin and First Aid

  • Neoteny Labs

    Neoteny Labs

    26 years 3 months

    • Neoteny Labs Graphic

      General Partner

      Neoteny Labs

      - Present 16 years 4 months

    • Neoteny Co.,Ltd. Graphic

      CEO

      Neoteny Co.,Ltd.

      - 15 years 7 months

      Neoteny is a venture capital firm investing in Internet technologies and services. Our current focus is weblogs, microcontent and metadata as well as enabling technologies for open standards based consumer electronics. Neoteny is based in Tokyo.

  • Instructor Trainer

    Divers Alert Network (DAN)

    - Present 15 years 2 months

    Instructor for the following courses: Advanced Oxygen First Aid for Scuba Diving Injuries, Automated External Defibrillators for Scuba Diving, Basic Life Support and First Aid, Basic Life Support for Dive Professionals, Diving Medicine for Divers Part 1, 2 & 3, First Aid for Hazardous Marine Life Injuries, On-Site Neurological Assessment for Divers, Oxygen First Aid for Aquatic Emergencies, Oxygen First Aid for Scuba Diving Injuries

  • Open Source Initiative

    Open Source Initiative

    21 years

    • Board Member Emeritus

      Open Source Initiative

      - Present 18 years 11 months

    • Board Member

      Open Source Initiative

      - 2 years 2 months

      Open Source Initiative (OSI) is a non-profit corporation dedicated to managing and promoting the Open Source Definition for the good of the community, specifically through the OSI Certified Open Source Software certification mark and program.

      http://www.opensource.org/

  • Advisor

    Deloitte Tohmatsu Group

    - 2 years

    Tokyo, Japan

  • Center of Complex Interventions Graphic

    Advisor

    Center of Complex Interventions

    - 3 years 3 months

    Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

  • Web 3 Task Force, Member

    Nippon Keidanren

    - 5 months

    Tokyo, Japan

  • TV Tokyo Graphic

    Co-Host, Earthshot TV

    TV Tokyo

    - 6 months

  • Happiness Capital Graphic

    Board Advisor

    Happiness Capital

    - 2 years 8 months

    Hong Kong SAR

  • Outblaze Graphic

    Board Member

    Outblaze

    - 14 years 1 month

  • Sanrio Digital - US Office Graphic

    Board Member

    Sanrio Digital - US Office

    - 14 years 1 month

  • Keio University SFC Research Institute

    Keio University SFC Research Institute

    11 years 7 months

  • Board Member

    BI.Garage, Inc.

    - 13 years 9 months

    Tokyo

    CGM Marketing, now called BI.Garage is a joint venture between Digital Garage, Cyber Communications, Dentsu and Asatsu. The company is focusing on marketing and advertising in the user generated content space.

  • Board Member

    PCH International

    - 2 years

    Shenzhen, Guangdong, China

  • Lever for Change Graphic

    Board Member

    Lever for Change

    - 9 months

    Greater Chicago Area

  • Harvard Law School Graphic

    Visiting Professor of Law from Practice

    Harvard Law School

    - 2 years 3 months

    Greater Boston Area

  • Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University Graphic

    Faculty Associate

    Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University

    - 2 years 3 months

    Cambridge, MA

  • Board Member

    Nishimachi Foundation

    - 2 years 7 months

    A 501(c )(3) foundation in the US to support the work of the Nishimachi International School in Tokyo.

  • The Engine Graphic

    Investment Advisory Committee

    The Engine

    - 2 years 8 months

    Cambridge, MA

    The Engine offers comprehensive support for entrepreneurs committed to societal impact through scientific and technological breakthroughs.

  • Omidyar Technology Ventures Graphic

    Advisor

    Omidyar Technology Ventures

    - 3 years

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology Graphic

    Professor of the Practice in Media Arts and Sciences

    Massachusetts Institute of Technology

    - 3 years 3 months

    Greater Boston Area

  • Tufts University Graphic

    External Advisory Board Member for the Department of Biomedical Engineering

    Tufts University

    - 3 years 8 months

  • Board Member

    MIT Press

    - 3 years 11 months

  • MIT Technology Review Graphic

    Board Member

    MIT Technology Review

    - 4 years 7 months

    Cambridge, MA

  • PureTech Health Graphic

    Chairman of the Board

    PureTech Health

    - 5 years 4 months

    Greater Boston Area

  • Creative Commons

    Creative Commons

    16 years 4 months

    • Creative Commons Graphic

      Advisory Council Member

      Creative Commons

      - 5 years 10 months

    • Creative Commons Graphic

      Board Member

      Creative Commons

      - 10 years 7 months

      Creative Commons is a non-profit corporation founded on the notion that some people may not want to exercise all of the intellectual property rights the law affords them. We believe there is an unmet demand for an easy yet reliable way to tell the world "Some rights reserved" or even "No rights reserved." Creative Commons intends to help people express this preference for sharing by offering the world a set of licenses on our Website, at no charge.

      http://www.creativecommons.org/

    • Creative Commons Graphic

      Chairman

      Creative Commons

      - 2 years 6 months

    • Creative Commons Graphic

      Chairman and CEO

      Creative Commons

      - 7 months

    • Creative Commons Graphic

      CEO

      Creative Commons

      - 3 years

      Creative Commons provides free tools that let authors, scientists, artists, and educators easily mark their creative work with the freedoms they want it to carry. You can use CC to change your copyright terms from "All Rights Reserved" to "Some Rights Reserved."

      We're a nonprofit organization. Everything we do — including the software we create — is free.

    • Creative Commons Graphic

      Chairman and Board Member

      Creative Commons

      - 1 year 5 months

      Creative Commons provides free tools that let authors, scientists, artists, and educators easily mark their creative work with the freedoms they want it to carry. You can use CC to change your copyright terms from "All Rights Reserved" to "Some Rights Reserved."

      We're a nonprofit organization. Everything we do — including the software we create — is free.

  • WITNESS

    WITNESS

    13 years 7 months

    • WITNESS Graphic

      Advisory Committee Member

      WITNESS

      - 5 years 10 months

      Greater New York City Area

    • WITNESS Graphic

      Board Member

      WITNESS

      - 7 years 11 months

      WITNESS uses the power of video to open the eyes of the world to human rights abuses. By partnering with local organizations around the globe, WITNESS empowers human rights defenders to use video to shine a light on those most affected by human rights violations, and to transform personal stories of abuse into powerful tools of justice. (http://www.witness.org/)

  • Japan Society Graphic

    Board Member

    Japan Society

    - 6 years 3 months

    Greater New York City Area

  • Board Member

    The New York Times Company

    - 7 years 4 months

    Greater New York City Area

    Audit Committee
    Technology and Innovation Committee

  • MacArthur Foundation Graphic

    Board Member

    MacArthur Foundation

    - 7 years 8 months

    Greater Chicago Area

    Budget and Compensation Committee
    Institutional Policy Committee

  • John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Graphic

    Board Member

    John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

    - 7 years 10 months

    Miami/Fort Lauderdale Area

    2011 - Present - Program Committee
    2018 - Present - Nominating Committee
    2014 - 2017 - Mission Related Investments Sub-Committee

  • MIT Media Lab Graphic

    Director

    MIT Media Lab

    - 8 years 1 month

  • Board Member

    CCC Co., Ltd.

    - 10 years 5 months

  • Electronic Privacy Information Center

    Electronic Privacy Information Center

    11 years 1 month

    • Advisory Board Member

      Electronic Privacy Information Center

      - 11 years 1 month

    • Electronic Privacy Information Center Graphic

      Board Member

      Electronic Privacy Information Center

      - 1 year 10 months

      Washington D.C. Metro Area

      Electronic Privacy Information Center. http://epic.org/

  • littleBits Graphic

    Advisor

    littleBits

    - 1 year 4 months

    Greater New York City Area

    Board Member: 9/2011 - 5/2018

  • Board Member

    Akili Interactive Labs

    - 4 years 10 months

    Greater Boston Area

  • Financial Services Agency, Japan (JFSA, 金融庁) Graphic

    Senior Independent Advisor

    Financial Services Agency, Japan (JFSA, 金融庁)

    - 3 years

  • Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Graphic

    COI STREAM Governance Committee Member

    Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology

    - 6 years

    COI STREAM stands for: ＣＯＩ ： Center of Innovation - ＳＴＲＥＡＭ ： S&T based Radical Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program.

  • Oblong Industries Inc Graphic

    Board Member

    Oblong Industries Inc

    - 4 years 8 months

  • Sony

    Sony

    5 years 1 month

    • Sony Graphic

      Strategic Advisor

      Sony

      - 1 year

      Tokyo

    • Sony Graphic

      Board Member

      Sony

      - 4 years 1 month

      2013 - 2015 - Nominating Committee

  • Board Member

    Iperlane

    - 3 years 4 months

  • Board Member

    thesixtyone

    - 8 years 9 months

  • Board Member

    Wearality

    - 4 years

  • New Context Graphic

    Advisory Board Member

    New Context

    - 5 years

  • DeNA Graphic

    Advisory Board Member

    DeNA

    - 5 years

  • Advisory Board Member

    IDEO.org

    - 6 years 9 months

  • Berkman Center for Internet & Society, Harvard University Graphic

    Affiliate

    Berkman Center for Internet & Society, Harvard University

    - 7 years 3 months

  • Honorary steward for September 2016 fellowship intake

    Shuttleworth Foundation

    - 5 months

  • Mozilla Foundation Graphic

    Board Member

    Mozilla Foundation

    - 10 years 9 months

    The Mozilla Foundation is a non-profit organization that exists to support and provide leadership for the open source Mozilla project which includes the Firefox browser.

  • Tucows Graphic

    Board Member

    Tucows

    - 7 years 4 months

  • NEO Graphic

    Board Member

    NEO

    - 4 years 2 months

  • Guild Master

    We Know

    - 10 years 1 month

    We Know is a World of Warcraft (WoW) Guild on Eitrigg. I am a co-founder of the guild which moved to Eitrigg from Khadgar. I am the founder of the Horde sister guild We No but have passed GM of We No to Paineater. See http://weknow.to/ for more information.

  • fotonauts Graphic

    Board Member

    fotonauts

    - 6 years 6 months

  • FreStyl Graphic

    Board Member

    FreStyl

    - 5 years 5 months

  • Cambia Graphic

    Board Member

    Cambia

    - 4 years 4 months

  • Nihon Gigei Inc. Graphic

    Board Member

    Nihon Gigei Inc.

    - 8 years 9 months

  • Member

    IT Strategic Headquarters - Japanese Cabinet

    - 1 year 1 month

    Tokyo, Japan

    Strategic Headquarters for the Promotion of an Advanced Information and Telecommunications Network Society (IT Strategic Headquarters) in the Cabinet of Prime Minister of Japan

  • Machinima.com Graphic

    Board Member

    Machinima.com

    - 3 years 10 months

  • Board Member

    Startl

    - 3 years

    "We founded Startl to pave the way for cool new digital media learning products to move from idea to funding and into learners’ hands. We’re working outside the established systems in a public-private partnership to break new ground in the education market and help to launch the next generation of digital tools for learning."

  • Nishimachi International School

    Nishimachi International School

    6 years

  • Board Member

    Global Voices

    - 4 years 4 months

  • Board Member

    Public Knowledge

    - 1 year 10 months

  • Six Apart Japan Graphic

    Chairman

    Six Apart Japan

    - 7 years 3 months

    Japan subsidiary of Six Apart, a leading provider of Weblog software and hosted Weblog services through Movable Type and TypePad.

  • iCommons

    iCommons

    5 years 5 months

    • Board Member

      iCommons

      - 5 years 2 months

      iCommons was founded by and is affiliated Creative Commons. iCommons coordinates the activities of the global network of activists and projects that have sprung from Creative Commons as well as other friendly projects.

    • Chairman of the Board

      iCommons

      - 1 year 4 months

      iCommons was founded by and is affiliated Creative Commons. iCommons coordinates the activities of the global network of activists and projects that have sprung from Creative Commons as well as other friendly projects.

  • PicScout Graphic

    Advisory Board

    PicScout

    - 2 years

  • Twitter Graphic

    Advisor

    Twitter

    - 2 years

    Helping Twitter with Japan and internationalization

  • Emitac Graphic

    Advisory Board Member

    Emitac

    - 3 years

  • Keio Graduate School of Media Design Graphic

    Part-Time Instructor

    Keio Graduate School of Media Design

    - 3 years

  • CEO

    Kula Co., Ltd.

    - 10 years

  • Technorati

    Technorati

    6 years

    • Technorati Graphic

      Board Member

      Technorati

      - 3 years 5 months

      Blog index and and user generated content media network.

    • Technorati Graphic

      General Manger of Global Operations

      Technorati

      - 2 years 7 months

      Blog index and notification company providing ability to track conversations in real time on the world live web.

  • Socialtext Graphic

    Board Member

    Socialtext

    - 5 years 10 months

    Provider of Wiki solutions.

  • Founder

    Joi Ito's Wiki

    - 7 years

    My wiki page has grown into a vibrant community. The Emergent Democracy section is the most active. It can be found at http://joiwiki.ito.com/joiwiki/

  • Board Member

    ZeroOne - The Art and Technology Network

    - 10 years

    ZeroOne stamps the intersection of art and technology. We believe in the magic that happens when fine, experimental; geek, media, research and explosive artists join forces with entrepreneurs, tools, platforms and innovative technological advancement. The potential is vast and the opportunities infinite. Join us in delving, exploring and pushing the limits of what is known and what is being discovered in Silicon Valley and the world.

    http://www.groundzero.org/

  • Board Member

    Foundation for Global Education and Communication

    - 13 years 4 months

    Foundation for education which runs a nurse school in Mizusawa, Iwate, Japan.

  • Board Member

    BUG

    - 2 years 3 months

    Software and technology company in Hokkaido Japan.

    http://www.bug.co.jp/

  • Pia Graphic

    Board Member

    Pia

    - 6 years 2 months

  • Board Member

    Rupture

    - 1 year

  • Ars Electronica Graphic

    Jury Member, .Net & Digital Communities

    Ars Electronica

    - 13 years 1 month

    Prix Ars Electronica is a government affiliated electronic art competition and festival managed by the Austrian broadcast company in Linz, Austria. They are one of the largest prize awarding organizations which focuses on arts in emerging technologies. Jury 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005

  • Board Member

    Computer Scientists for Social Responsibility

    - 3 years

    CPSR is a global organization promoting the responsible use of computer technology. Incorporated in 1983 (following discussions and organizing that began in 1981), CPSR educates policymakers and the public on a wide range of issues. CPSR has incubated numerous projects such as Privaterra, the Public Sphere Project, EPIC (the Electronic Privacy Information Center), the 21st Century Project, the Civil Society Project, and the CFP (Computers, Freedom & Privacy) Conference. Originally founded…

    CPSR is a global organization promoting the responsible use of computer technology. Incorporated in 1983 (following discussions and organizing that began in 1981), CPSR educates policymakers and the public on a wide range of issues. CPSR has incubated numerous projects such as Privaterra, the Public Sphere Project, EPIC (the Electronic Privacy Information Center), the 21st Century Project, the Civil Society Project, and the CFP (Computers, Freedom & Privacy) Conference. Originally founded by U.S. computer scientists, CPSR now has members in 26 countries on six continents.

  • ICANN Graphic

    Board Member

    ICANN

    - 3 years 1 month

    Selected to serve for 3 year term by the Nomination Committee of ICANN.

  • Fellow

    The Annenberg Center for Communication of the University of Southern California (USC)

    - 11 months

    Fellow at the Annenberg Center for Communication of the University of Southern California (USC) which supports leading-edge interdisciplinary research on the meaning of the new networked information age.

  • Board Member

    MetaBrainz Foundation

    - 1 year 7 months

    The MetaBrainz Foundation is a 501.(c).3 tax-exempt non-profit based in San Luis Obispo, California that operates the MusicBrainz project.

    MusicBrainz is a user maintained community music metadatabase. Music metadata is information such as the name of an artist, the name of an album and list of tracks that appear on an album. MusicBrainz collects this information about music and makes it available to the public.

    http://metabrainz.org/index.html

  • Treasurer and co-founder

    Computer Scientists for Social Responsibility - Japan Chapter

    - 3 years 6 months

    http://www.cpsr.org/

  • Vice Representative Secretariat Member

    Enjin01 / The Cultural Stategy Council

    - 5 years

    Association of 100+ cultural leaders in Japan pursuing the advancement of culture and it's influence on society.

    http://www.enjin01.org/

  • KEIZAI DOYUKAI Japan Association of Corporate Executives Graphic

    Secretariat Member

    KEIZAI DOYUKAI Japan Association of Corporate Executives

    - 6 years

    The largest association of corporate executives in Japan and the counterpart to the Keidanren which is the association of corporations. Keizai Doyukai discusses and takes positions on a variety of policy issues in Japan. Keizai Doyukai also sponsors the Japan dinner at Davos.

  • Infoseek Japan Graphic

    Chairman, Board Member

    Infoseek Japan

    - 6 years 10 months

    Infoseek Japan was the first commercial Internet search engine in Japan.

  • Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. Graphic

    Board Member

    Energy Conversion Devices, Inc.

    - 5 years

    ECD focuses on energy and information technology. Their work involves atomically engineered materials. ECD invents the materials, the products, and the production technology.

    ECD is a pioneer in hydrogen storage and transportation technology, NiMH technology, amorphous photovoltaic technology, thin-film displays, phase-change amorphous memories, and a variety of other technologies involving disordered materials, thin-films and amorphous materials.

    See…

    ECD focuses on energy and information technology. Their work involves atomically engineered materials. ECD invents the materials, the products, and the production technology.

    ECD is a pioneer in hydrogen storage and transportation technology, NiMH technology, amorphous photovoltaic technology, thin-film displays, phase-change amorphous memories, and a variety of other technologies involving disordered materials, thin-films and amorphous materials.

    See http://www.ovonic.com/

    I am currently advisor to management and continue to support ECD's activities.

  • CEO

    Digital Garage, Inc.

    - 3 years 11 months

    Digital Garage was originally a joint venture between my company Eccosys and Kaoru Hayashi's company From Garage. It was one of the first web companies in Japan. We merged our companies together and the company had two CEO's for awhile. We built Infoseek Japan as a licensee of Infoseek in the US and eventually sold the division to Infoseek in the US. I resigned from Digital Garage as part of the transaction and became the Chairman of Infoseek Japan. Digital Garage went public December 14, 2000.

  • Headmaster

    Bithaus

    - 1 year 4 months

    Bithaus was a multimedia, Internet and game technology school.

  • CEO

    Eccosys, Ltd.

    - 3 years 2 months

    Eccosys was an Internet technology company set up by myself and a few young hackers huddled around a used Sun Sparc 1+ and the PSINet 128K leased line in my apartment. We set up one of the first web pages in Japan, "Tomigaya" and consulted to a variety of companies interested in Internet technology. We eventually merged with Digital Garage.

  • CEO

    PSINet Japan Inc.

    - 11 months

    PSINet Japan was the first commercial Internet Service Provider in Japan. PSINet Japan was acquired by Cable and Wireless.

  • CEO

    Mac Zone Japan

    - 7 months

    Launched Mac Zone, a Macintosh catalog mail order business, in Japan.

  • Producer

    XY Relax

    - 11 months

    XY Relax was a nightclub in Roppongi, Tokyo, Japan.

  • Associate to Mr. Mount (The Executive Producer)

    Indian Runner

    - 2 years 1 month

    Indian Runner was a movie directed by Sean Penn starring David Morse, Viggo Mortensen, Valeria Golino, Patricia Arquette, Charles Bronson, Sandy Dennis, and Dennis Hopper.

Education

  • Keio University Graphic

    Keio University

    Doctor of Philosophy - PhD Graduate School of Media and Governance

  • American School in Japan

    High School

    -

  • Graduate School of International Corporate Strategy, Hitotsubashi University

    DBA Candidate - not completed

    -

  • University of Chicago Graphic

    University of Chicago

    Not Completed Physics

    -

  • Tufts University Graphic

    Tufts University

    Not Completed College of Engineering

    -

  • Nishimachi International School

    Jr. High School

    -

Licenses & Certifications

Publications

  • Whiplash - How to Survive Our Faster Future

    Grand Central Publishing

    "The future," as the author William Gibson once noted, "is already here. It's just unevenly distributed." WHIPLASH is a postcard from that future.
    The world is more complex and volatile today than at any other time in our history. The tools of our modern existence are getting faster, cheaper, and smaller at an exponential rate, just as billions of strangers around the world are suddenly just one click or tweet or post away from each other. When these two revolutions joined, an explosive…

    "The future," as the author William Gibson once noted, "is already here. It's just unevenly distributed." WHIPLASH is a postcard from that future.
    The world is more complex and volatile today than at any other time in our history. The tools of our modern existence are getting faster, cheaper, and smaller at an exponential rate, just as billions of strangers around the world are suddenly just one click or tweet or post away from each other. When these two revolutions joined, an explosive force was unleashed that is transforming every aspect of society, from business to culture and from the public sphere to our most private moments.
    Such periods of dramatic change have always produced winners and losers. The future will run on an entirely new operating system. It's a major upgrade, but it comes with a steep learning curve. The logic of a faster future oversets the received wisdom of the past, and the people who succeed will be the ones who learn to think differently.
    In WHIPLASH, Joi Ito and Jeff Howe distill that logic into nine organizing principles for navigating and surviving this tumultuous period. From strategically embracing risks rather than mitigating them (or preferring "risk over safety") to drawing inspiration and innovative ideas from your existing networks (or supporting "pull over push"), this dynamic blueprint can help you rethink your approach to all facets of your organization.
    Filled with incredible case studies and leading-edge research and philosophies from the MIT Media Lab and beyond, WHIPLASH will help you adapt and succeed in this unpredictable world.

    Other authors
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  • Want to innovate? Become a "now-ist"​

    TED

    "Remember before the internet?" asks Joi Ito. "Remember when people used to try to predict the future?" In this engaging talk, the head of the MIT Media Lab skips the future predictions and instead shares a new approach to creating in the moment: building quickly and improving constantly, without waiting for permission or for proof that you have the right idea. This kind of bottom-up innovation is seen in the most fascinating, futuristic projects emerging today, and it starts, he says, with…

    "Remember before the internet?" asks Joi Ito. "Remember when people used to try to predict the future?" In this engaging talk, the head of the MIT Media Lab skips the future predictions and instead shares a new approach to creating in the moment: building quickly and improving constantly, without waiting for permission or for proof that you have the right idea. This kind of bottom-up innovation is seen in the most fascinating, futuristic projects emerging today, and it starts, he says, with being open and alert to what's going on around you right now. Don't be a futurist, he suggests: be a now-ist.

    See publication

Honors & Awards

  • EPIC Lifetime Achievement Award

    Electronic Privacy Information Center

  • FD200

    The Antiracist Research and Policy Center and the Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives

    The Antiracist Research and Policy Center at American University has partnered with the Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives to honor 200 Americans whose modern-day work best embodies Douglass's enduring legacy of social change.

  • IRI Medal

    Industrial Research Institute

    The IRI Medal, established in 1946, recognizes and honors leaders of technology for their outstanding accomplishments in technological innovation which contribute broadly to the development of industry and to the benefit of society.

  • Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa

    Tufts University

  • SXSW Interactive Hall of Fame

    SXSW

    The SXSW Interactive Festival Hall of Fame honors trend-setters who have pushed the industry forward via a history of innovative thinking.

  • Distinguished Leadership Award

    The Japan Society of Boston

  • Doctor of Literature, honoris causa

    The New School

  • Lifetime Achievement Award

    Oxford Internet Institute

    Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his role as one of the world's leading advocates of Internet freedom.

  • Commendment

    Japanese Ministry of Posts and Telecom

    Japanese Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications commendment for supporting the advancement of IT

Languages

  • Japanese

    -

Organizations

  • American Academy of Arts and Sciences

    Member

    - Present

    The American Academy serves the nation as a champion of scholarship, civil dialogue, and useful knowledge. As one of the country's oldest learned societies and independent policy research centers, the Academy convenes leaders from the academic, business, and government sectors to respond to the challenges facing the nation and the world.

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