Aiming for SCEJ to Create the Social Innovation

I was appointed to the president of the Society of Chemical Engineering, Japan (SCEJ) for 2024, succeeding to Professor Matsukata.
In 1989, thirty-five years ago, when Mr. Yasunobu Kishimoto, the chairman of Showa Denko at that time assumed the chairman of the SCEJ, he wrote in the preface, “I experienced that chemical engineering is the most useful discipline in the chemical industry.”
Since I joined Showa Denko, I was engaged in the research and the development for 25 years, and I utilized the chemical engineering expertise for scaling up from the laboratory to the commercial plant. In such works, I have also experienced applicability and certainty of the chemical engineering.
In response to the demand of each era, while the processes that chemical engineering targets have been changing, such as fertilizers, oil refining/petrochemicals, energy conservation, biotechnology, and environment, however the importance of the chemical engineering as an applied technology has never changed.
In 2023, the SCEJ created the Vision 2036, in consideration for its 100th anniversary of 2036. It is based on the concept of “From Efficiency to Sufficiency” presented in the Sapporo Declaration of 2019, and shows the goals which the chemical engineering, the SCEJ and all persons involved in should target. One of the missions of the activities of the Vision 2036, “Pioneer the future of the society with people, science and technology” has already started.

Today, one of the major challenges that society and humans face is the creation of a sustainable global environment, in other word, humans must create a sustainable global environment. Key to creating a global sustainability is the realization of a carbon- neutral society, in which I believe Chemical Industry is expected to play an important role.

In the chemical industries, following two “Transition” are required to achieve carbon-Neutral.

1. Raw material transition from fossil resources,
2. Energy Transition to carbon neutral materials.

These transitions include such methods and technologies as “CO₂ Capture, Utilization and Storage（CCUS）”

“Chemical recycle of the waste plastics”, “Utilizes bio-resources”, and “use the renewable energy such as biofuels, ammonia and hydrogen.” There is a possibility that the current chemical processes will be completely substituted by new processes, however I am sure that fundamental chemical engineering data and the information on the safe operation of the chemical equipment, which the SCEJ accumulated and implemented into society by pragmatic activities, must be required.

Regional collaboration for Carbon Neutral activities

“Committee for Carbon Neutral Innovation by regional Collaboration” is one of the most important activities of the SCEJ. In Shunan District of Yamaguchi prefecture, the SCEJ together with city of Shunan and refineries consortium, established the “Shunan Industrial Complex Decarbonization Promotion Council”, and announced in May of 2023, the “Shunan Industrial Complex Carbon Neutral Roadmap”. The SCEJ will be continuing facilitate the regional carbon neutral program through various activities.

Education and Talent development

Education and Talent development is an essential for chemical engineering to continue playing an important role. The SCEJ in 2022 set up the junior membership for middle and high school student so that they are easy to join the society. The English-language academic journal, the Journal of chemical engineering of Japan, has become to be an open access since 2023. Also, Easy to understand explanatory videos aligned with chemical engineering textbook were released in 2024, and the SCEJ website was updated to be more user-friendly in March 2024.
We must disseminate the value of the chemical engineering and convey the appeal of chemical engineering to the younger generation and have them to understand the chemical engineering is one of the most preferred studies. By maintaining an open stance and transcending the boundaries of the academic societies, we can create great connections among universities, research institutions, business enterprises and governments, and by using new technologies such as generative AI, I am convinced that the chemical engineering will lead the social innovations.

I will inherit the lots of initiatives advanced by the former President, Professor Matsukata, and strive for the further development of the SCEJ.

Profile
1982 March: Graduated for the Department of Synthetic Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, The University of Tokyo.
1982 April: Joined Showa Denko K.K. (currently Resonac Holdings)
2013 January: Executive Officer, General Manager, Electronic Chemicals Division
2016 January: Managing executive officer and CTO
2017 January: Representative Director, President and CEO
2022 January: Chairman
2023 January: Chairman, Resonac Holdings Corporation
2018-2020: Chairman, Japan Petrochemical Industry Association
2020-2022: Chairman, Japan Chemical Industry Association