Member
Mr. Asahina graduated from the Faculty of Law, The University of Tokyo in 1996 and joined the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (now the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)) in April 1997. In 2001, he earned a Master’s degree from the Harvard Kennedy School.
At METI, he was engaged in energy policy, infrastructure export policy, economic cooperation policy, and the reform of special public institutions and independent administrative agencies.
In 2003, he founded “Project K – A Group of Young Officials for a New Kasumigaseki”, serving as its first Representative.
In November 2010, he left METI to establish Aoyama Shachu Corporation, where he currently serves as CEO. The firm provides policy strategy support and think tank services, management consulting, and education/leadership development.
He has held a variety of public and private roles, including past and current appointments. These include serving as an advisor to numerous local governments—such as Mukawa, Myoko, Sanjo, Uozu, Nasushiobara, Karuizawa, Numata, Kamimikawa, Koshigaya, Kita City (Tokyo), Kawasaki, Katori, Hamamatsu, Gero, Ikoma, and Kitakyushu—as well as holding committee memberships in the Toyama Prefecture Growth Strategy Council, the Hiroshima Prefecture Economic and Fiscal Council, and the Kobe City Human Resources Development Council.
He has also contributed to national initiatives in various capacities, such as an expert for the online voting project jointly conducted by the Cabinet Office and Tsukuba City, a Regional Revitalization Evangelist (Cabinet Secretariat), an external expert to the All-Generations Social Security Reform Council (Cabinet Secretariat), a DMO Program advisor (Japan Tourism Agency), a Regional Producer for the Cool Japan Initiative (Cabinet Office), a Regional Capability Advisor (Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications), and a member of the Study Group on Municipal Governance Reform Based on Evidence and Empathy, Shizuoka Prefecture Fellow, Leveraging Shizuoka City’s Social Strengths and Collective Knowledge (Shizuoka City).
In the private sector, his current roles include Advisor to AZSA & Co. and F-Vital Inc., Outside Director at Shin Energy Co., Ltd., and Advisor to NearMe, Inc.
Recent Publications and Seminars
[Co-authorship]
• What and How the Kennedy School Teaches, Eiji Press, 2004
• Structural Reform of Bureaucracy: Project K, Toyo Keizai, 2004
• Bureaucracy Restoration, Eiji Press, 2009
[Solo-authorship]
• The Power of Going Too Far, Discover Twenty-One, 2013
[Seminars in 2024]
• Special Seminar for Municipal Mayors
• Avant Forum Panelist
• Regional Future Co-Creation Forum 2024
• Seikosha Luncheon Seminars
• Keynote Speech at Fukui Prefectural University Entrance Ceremony
• Inaugural Seminar of the Policy Design Institute for Next Generation
• GR Summit
• National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies: Diplomacy Seminar
• Practical Lectures on Innovation, Institute of Science Tokyo
• Private Equity Research Group, Hitotsubashi University Graduate School
• Inaugural Meeting, Taiyo no Kai
• Matsuyama Chamber of Commerce and Industry
• Toyama Junior Chamber Regional Convention
• Training programs for Kamifuranocho, Kobe, and Nobeoka
• Study session hosted by Masako Mori, Member of the House of Councilors
• Training program for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
Topics of Specialty
• (Public) Leadership
• Regional revitalization
• Administrative reform
• Policy-making processes, etc.
Inquiries Regarding Publications and Seminars
Policy Advocacy and Recommendations Related to This Member