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Officer introduction

Member of the Board

  • Tatsuya Sato
    Tatsuya Sato
    Member of the Board, Executive Officer, President & CEO
    Career Summary & Reason for nomination

    Date of birth: August 26, 1959

    April 1983 Joined Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    July 2016 President, Ajinomoto North America, Inc.
    June 2017 Corporate Fellow, Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    July 2018 General Manager, North America Division, Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    July 2018 President, Ajinomoto Health and Nutrition North America
    June 2019 Corporate Vice President, Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    April 2021 Senior Managing Executive Officer, In Charge of Corporate Administration, J-OIL MILLS, Inc.
    June 2021 Member of the Board, J-OIL MILLS, Inc.
    July 2021 In Charge of Corporate Administration, J-OIL MILLS, Inc.
    April 2022 Member of the Board, Executive Officer , President, J-OIL MILLS, Inc. (to present)
    July 2023 CEO, J-OIL MILLS, Inc. (to present)

    Reason for nomination

    He has been involved in food and a wide variety of businesses, mainly overseas, at Ajinomoto Co., Inc., and has abundant experience and insights related broadly to overseas business and corporate management in general. By leveraging these factors, he is expected to take a role of making important decisions and supervising business execution as Director, and therefore the Company appointed him as Member of the Board. 

  • Takeshi Kamigochi
    Takeshi Kamigochi
    Member of the Board, Executive Officer, Senior Vice President & COO
    Career Summary & Reason for nomination

    Date of birth: July 13, 1964

    April 1987Joined Nippon Lever K.K. (currently Unilever Japan K.K.)
    April 1999CFO, Nippon Lever K.K. (currently Unilever Japan K.K.)
    January 2003SVP Finance, Supply Chain Food, Unilever Asia Office
    April 2006COO and CFO, Unilever Japan K.K. (in charge of Japan and Korea operations)
    April 2012SVP, Store Operation Division, Walmart Japan K.K. (Seiyu)
    May 2015CEO, Walmart Japan K.K.
    April 2018CEO, Global Consumer Goods Dept., Sunstar Suisse S.A.
    July 2021Executive Fellow, Corporate Administration, J-OIL MILLS, Inc.
    December 2021Executive Officer, Senior Vice President, J-OIL MILLS, Inc. (to present)
    December 2021Assistant in charge of Oils and Fats Business Unit, J-OIL MILLS, Inc.
    April 2022In charge of Oils and Fats Business Unit, J-OIL MILLS, Inc.
    June 2022Member of the Board, J-OIL MILLS, Inc. (to present)
    July 2023COO, J-OIL MILLS, Inc. (to present)

    Reason for nomination

    He has been engaged in corporate management at global companies including Unilever Japan and Walmart Japan for many years, and has abundant experience and insights related to global business and corporate management. By leveraging these factors, he is expected to take a role of making important decisions and supervising business execution as Director, and therefore the Company appointed him as Member of the Board. 

  • Eizo Matsumoto
    Eizo Matsumoto
    Member of the Board, Executive Officer, Vice President & CTO
    Career Summary & Reason for nomination

    Date of Birth: January 25, 1961

    April 1986Joined Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    July 2011Head, Process Industrialization Laboratory, Research Institute for Bioscience Products & Fine Chemicals, Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    April 2015Deputy Director General for Science, Technology and Innovation, Cabinet Office
    June 2017Advisor, J-OIL MILLS, Inc.
    June 2017Member of the Board, J-OIL MILLS, Inc. (to present)
    June 2017Executive Officer, Vice President, J-OIL MILLS, Inc. (to present)
    July 2018In charge of Production & Technology, J-OIL MILLS, Inc.
    July 2023CTO, J-OIL MILLS, Inc. (to present)

    Reason for nomination

    He has been involved in researches including for industrialization of food ingredients and pharmaceutical ingredients at Ajinomoto Co., Inc. For around two years since 2015, he performed his duties as Deputy Director General of Cabinet Office. Thus, he has abundant experience and profound insights related to researches in general for industrialization of various ingredients. Accordingly, the Company judged that he will be able to take a role of making important decisions and supervising business execution as Director, and appointed him as Member of the Board.

  • Tatsuya Sasaki
    Tatsuya Sasaki
    Member of the Board(Outside Director)
    Career Summary & Reason for nomination

    Date of birth: June 25, 1963

    April 1986Joined Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    January 2011General Manager, Nutrition Care Department, Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    July 2013General Manager, Corporate Planning Department, Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    June 2017Corporate Executive Officer, Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    June 2019Corporate Executive Officer, Showa Shell Sekiyu K.K.
    July 2019General Manager, Latin America Division, Ajinomoto Co., Inc. and President, Ajinomoto do Brasil Indústria e Comércio de Alimentos Ltda.
    June 2021Executive Officer & Vice President, Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    April 2022Executive Officer & Senior Vice President, Ajinomoto Co., Inc. (to present)
    April 2022General Manager, Global Corporate Division and Corporate Service Division, Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    June 2022Member of the Board, Ajinomoto Co., Inc. (to present)
    June 2022Member of the Board(Outside Director), J-OIL MILLS, Inc. (to present)
    April 2023General Manager, Corporate Division, Ajinomoto Co., Inc. (to present)

    Significant concurrent positions

    Member of the Board, Executive Officer & Senior Vice President, General Manager, Corporate Division, Ajinomoto Co., Inc.

    Reason for nomination

    He has been involved in food business both in Japan and overseas at Ajinomoto Co., Inc. and has abundant experience and insights related broadly to food business and corporate management in general. By leveraging these factors, he is expected to take a role of making important decisions and supervising business execution as Director, and therefore the Company appointed him as Member of the Board.

  • Kaku Yoshisato
    Kaku Yoshisato
    Member of the Board(Outside Director)
    Career Summary & Reason for nomination

    Date of birth: April 28, 1967

    April 1991 Joined MITSUI & CO., LTD.
    May 2006 General Manager, Feed Grain Office, Feed and Livestock Department, Foods & Retail Business Unit, MITSUI & CO., LTD.
    July 2012 General Manager, Feed, Livestock and Fisheries Business Office, Grain Dept., Food Resources Business Unit, MITSUI & CO., LTD.
    January 2013 Management Company Sodrugestvo Ltd.(Assistant to CEO)
    October 2014 Assistant to General Manager, Grain Dept. 1, Food Business Unit, MITSUI & CO., LTD.
    January 2018 Multigrain S.A. (Officer, President & CEO)
    April 2019 Assistant to General Manager, Grain Dept. 1, Food Business Unit, MITSUI & CO., LTD.
    June 2020 External Director, Starzen Co., Ltd. (to present)
    April 2021 General Manager, Livestock & Fisheries Project Division, Food Business Unit, MITSUI & CO., LTD.
    April 2024 irector, Assistant to General Manager, Food Business Unit, MITSUI & CO., LTD. (to present)
    June 2024 External Director, FEED ONE CO., LTD. (scheduled)

    Significant concurrent positions

    Director, Assistant to General Manager, Food Business Unit, MITSUI & CO., LTD.
    External Director, Starzen Co., Ltd.
    External Director, FEED ONE CO., LTD. (scheduled)

    Reason for nomination

    He has been involved in businesses including overseas and food/food product businesses at MITSUI & CO., LTD., and has abundant experience and insights related to overseas business and food/food product business. By leveraging these factors, he is expected to take a role of making important decisions and supervising business execution as Director, and therefore the Company appointed him as Member of the Board.

    (Note) Starzen Co., Ltd. announced its employees had committed inappropriate transactions, including fictitious circular transactions during Mr. Kaku Yoshisato's tenure as External Director at the company. He was not aware of the incident and was fulfilling his responsibilities by regularly offering proposals from the perspective of compliance with laws and regulations at Board of Directors meetings, etc. and, after the incident came to light, demanding structures be reinforced to support investigation and recurrence-prevention measures.

  • Yugo Ishida
    Yugo Ishida
    Member of the Board(Independent Outside Director)
    Career Summary & Reason for nomination

    Date of birth: January 1, 1957

    April 1979 Joined Nomura Securities Co., Ltd.
    November 1997 Representative Director and President, Nomura Italy S.I.M.p.A
    April 2004 Executive Officer, Nomura Holdings, Inc.
    April 2005 Director, President and CEO, Nomura Europe Holdings plc
    April 2008 Managing Executive Officer, Nomura Holdings, Inc.
    April 2009 Executive Vice President, Nomura Asset Management Co., Ltd.
    June 2011 Director, COO and President, Nomura Asset Management Co., Ltd. (Retired in August 2012)
    January 2014 Representative Director and President, LAZARD JAPAN ASSET MANAGEMENT K.K. (Retired in January 2024)
    June 2019 Member of the Board(Outside Director), J-OIL MILLS, Inc. (to present)
    February 2024 Senior Advisor, LAZARD JAPAN ASSET MANAGEMENT K.K. (to present)

    Significant concurrent positions

    Senior Advisor, LAZARD JAPAN ASSET MANAGEMENT K.K.

    Reason for nomination

    He has been engaged in corporate management as well as involved in finance in Japan and overseas at security companies and asset management companies, and has abundant experience and insights related to capital market and corporate management. By leveraging these factors, he is expected to take a role of making important decisions and supervising business execution as Director, and therefore the Company appointed him as Member of the Board. 

  • Tsuyoshi Kameoka
    Tsuyoshi Kameoka
    Member of the Board(Independent Outside Director)
    Career Summary & Reason for nomination

    Date of birth: October 18, 1956

    April 1979 Joined Shell Sekiyu K.K.
    April 2003 Oil Products Division Manager, Showa Shell Sekiyu K.K.
    May 2005 Senior Officer and Kinki Area Manager, Showa Shell Sekiyu K.K.
    March 2006 Executive Officer and Kinki Area Manager, Showa Shell Sekiyu K.K.
    November 2008 Executive Officer and General Manager, Head Office Sales Division, Showa Shell Sekiyu K.K.
    March 2009 Corporate Executive Officer, Showa Shell Sekiyu K.K.
    March 2013 Executive Officer Vice President, Oil Business COO, Showa Shell Sekiyu K.K.
    March 2015 President & Representative Director, Group CEO, Showa Shell Sekiyu K.K. (Retired in April 2019)
    April 2019 Vice Chairman and Representative Director, and Vice Chairman and Executive Officer, Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd. (Retired in June 2020)
    June 2020 Special Advisor, Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd.
    June 2021 Outside Director, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (Retired in June 2023)
    June 2022 Member of the Board(Outside Director), J-OIL MILLS, Inc. (to present)
    June 2023 Outside Director, Sojitz Corporation (to present)

    Significant concurrent positions

    Outside Director, Sojitz Corporation

    Reason for nomination

    He has been engaged in corporate management for many years, such as serving as President & Representative Director of Showa Shell Sekiyu K.K., and has abundant experience and insights related to corporate management. By leveraging these factors, he is expected to take a role of making important decisions and supervising business execution as Director, and therefore the Company appointed him as Member of the Board.

  • Akiko Ikeda
    Akiko Ikeda
    Member of the Board(Independent Outside Director)
    Career Summary & Reason for nomination

    Date of birth: July 26, 1960

    April 1983 Joined The Daimaru, Inc.
    April 2003 Joined Ito-Yokado Co., Ltd.  
    March 2011 Corporate Executive Officer, Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    March 2016 Representative Director, President, Jolly-Pasta Co., Ltd. (Retired in March 2017)
    April 2017 Representative Director, President, COCO’S JAPAN CO., LTD. (Retired in September 2018)
    June 2019 Director and General Manager, Merchandising Division, Okamoto Corporation
    June 2020 Director and General Manager, Business Administration Division, Okamoto Corporation (Retired in May 2023)
    January 2023 Outside Director, Kura Sushi, Inc. (Retired in January 2024)  
    June 2023 Senior Partner, People Trees Ltd. (to present)
    June 2024 Outside Member of the Board, NIPPON SHOKUBAI CO., LTD. (scheduled)

    Significant concurrent positions

    Outside Member of the Board, NIPPON SHOKUBAI CO., LTD. (scheduled)

    Reason for nomination

    She has been engaged in corporate management as well as involved in marketing and administrative operations at major companies in retail and restaurant operation, among others, and has abundant experience and insights related to marketing and corporate management. By leveraging these factors, she is expected to take a role of making important decisions and supervising business execution as Director, and therefore the Company appointed him as Member of the Board.

  • Mifuyu Maki
    Mifuyu Maki
    Member of the Board(Independent Outside Director)
    Career Summary & Reason for nomination

    Date of birth: December 22, 1964

    April 1991 Joined Fukutake Publishing Co., Ltd. (currently Benesse Corporation)  
    June 2000 Re-joined Benesse Corporation
    April 2016 General Manager, Global Kodomo Challenge Division, Benesse Corporation
    April 2018 Executive Officer, Benesse Holdings, Inc.
    April 2018 Company, Benesse Corporation
    Director, Vice President of Global Kodomo Challenge
    October 2021 Executive Officer, Deputy Head of the Kids & Family Business Company, Head of Japan Sector, Global Kodomo Challenge Group, Benesse Corporation
    October 2021 Outside Director, Benesse BE studio Inc.

    Reason for nomination

    She has been engaged in corporate management as well as involved in marketing at Benesse Corporation, and has abundant experience and insights related to marketing and corporate management. By leveraging these factors, she is expected to take a role of making important decisions and supervising business execution as Director, and therefore the Company appointed him as Member of the Board.

Audit and Supervisory Board Member

  • Masami Kashiwakura
    Masami Kashiwakura
    Audit and Supervisory Board Member(Standing)
    Career Summary & Reason for nomination
    April 1986 Joined Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    July 2014 President, Ajinomoto Heartland, Inc.
    June 2017 Corporate Executive Officer, Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    April 2018 President, Ajinomoto Animal Nutrition North America, Inc.
    June 2019 President, Ajinomoto Animal Nutrition Group, Inc.
    July 2021 President, AJINOMOTO FOODS EUROPE SAS, and Deputy General Manager, Europe & Africa Division, Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    April 2022 AJINOMOTO EUROPE S.A.S.
    Executive Officer & Vice President, General Manager, Europe & Africa Division
    April 2024 Advisor, J-OIL MILLS, Inc. (to present)

    Reason for nomination

    He has been involved in food business, as well as wide-ranging other businesses, mainly overseas at Ajinomoto Co., Inc. and has abundant experience and insights related to international business and corporate management. He is expected to provide objective monitoring and supervision of performance of duties by management personnel, and therefore the Company appointed him as Member of the Board.

  • Akira Nozaki
    Akira Nozaki
    Audit and Supervisory Board Member
    Career Summary & Reason for nomination
    April 1988 Registration to lawyer (DAI-ICHI TOKYO BAR ASSOCIATION)
    April 1995 Established Nagashima & Nozaki Law Office
    March 2003 Established Nozaki Law Office (to present)
    September 2006 Audit & Supervisory Board Member, Macromill, Inc.
    June 2011 Audit & Supervisory Board Member, NEC Fielding, Ltd.
    June 2014 Outside Audit & Supervisory Board Member, ipet Insurance CO., Ltd.
    June 2015 Outside Director, ICHIKAWA CO., LTD.
    June 2015 Outside Director, J-OIL MILLS, Inc.
    June 2017 Audit & Supervisory Board Member, J-OIL MILLS, Inc. (to present)

    Significant concurrent positions

    Representative, Nozaki Law Office (lawyer)

    Reason for nomination

    Mr. Nozaki has specialized knowledge and abundant experience as a legal expert focusing on corporate legal affairs. Accordingly, J-OIL MILLS, INC. judges that he will be able to provide objective monitoring and supervision of the execution of duties by management and appoints as Audit & Supervisory.

  • Eiji Mizutani
    Eiji Mizutani
    Outside Audit and Supervisory Board Member (Independent Director)
    Career Summary & Reason for nomination
    October 1981 Joined Shinwa Audit Corp. (currently KPMG AZSA LLC)
    September 2003 Partner, Asahi & Co. (currently KPMG AZSA LLC)
    November 2015 Chairman of the Senior Review Board, KPMG AZSA LLC
    June 2021 Outside Audit & Supervisory Board Member, J-OIL MILLS, Inc. (to present)
    July 2021 Representative of Eiji Mizutani CPA Firm (to present)
    June 2022 Outside Audit & Supervisory Board Member, OBAYASHI CORPORATION (to present)

    Significant concurrent positions

    Representative of Eiji Mizutani CPA Firm
    Outside Audit & Supervisory Board Member, OBAYASHI CORPORATION

    Reason for nomination

    Mr. Mizutani has specialized knowledge and abundant experience as a certified public accountant, and has not been engaged in corporate management in the past. Accordingly, J-OIL MILLS, INC. judges that he will be able to provide objective monitoring and supervision of the execution of duties by management and appoints as Outside Audit & Supervisory, Independent Director.

  • Masaki Ueno
    Masaki Ueno
    Outside Audit and Supervisory Board Member (Independent Director)
    Career Summary & Reason for nomination
    April 1986 Joined The Hokkaido Takushoku Bank, Ltd.  
    April 1998 Joined Kirin Brewery Co., Ltd. (currently Kirin Holdings Company, Limited)
    March 2012 General Manager, Legal Affairs Department, Kirin Holdings Company, Limited
    January 2013 General Manager, Legal Affairs Department, Kirin Company, and Director in Charge of Group Legal Affairs, Kirin Holdings Company, Limited
    April 2015 Executive Officer, General Manager, Legal Affairs Department, Kirin Company, and Executive Officer, Director in Charge of Group Legal Affairs, Kirin Holdings Company, Limited
    April 2019 Executive Officer, General Manager, Legal Affairs Department, Kirin Holdings Company, Limited
    March 2020 Outside Audit & Supervisory Board Member, Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd. (Retired in March 2024)

    Reason for nomination

    He has been involved in legal affairs operation at Kirin Holdings Company, Limited for many years and has served as fulltime Audit & Supervisory Board Member of Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd., and thus has abundant experience and insights related to compliance and corporate management. He is expected to provide objective monitoring and supervision of performance of duties by management personnel, and therefore the Company appointed him as Member of the Board.

(Note) 
  1. There are no special interests between Mr. Masaki Ueno & Mr. Masami Kashiwakura and the Company.
  2. Mr. Masaki Ueno is a candidate for Outside Audit & Supervisory Board Member as stipulated in Article 2, Paragraph 3, Item 8 of Ordinance for Enforcement of the Companies Act.
    Mr. Masaki Ueno is a candidate for Independent Director under the provisions of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
  3. Pursuant to the stipulations in Article 427, Paragraph 1 of the Companies Act and the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, the Company plans to enter into limited liability agreements with Mr. Masami Kashiwakura and Mr. Masaki Ueno to limit their liability under Article 423, Paragraph 1 of the Companies Act to the minimum amount stipulated by laws and regulations.
  4. The Company has entered into a directors and officers liability insurance (D&O insurance) agreement provided for in Article 430-3, Paragraph 1 of the Companies Act with an insurance company. In the event of a claim for damages submitted by a shareholder or a third party, etc., such insurance agreement shall compensate for damages including compensation for damages and legal expenses to be borne by the insured parties. Mr. Masaki Ueno & Mr. Masami Kashiwakura shall be included in the insured parties in the insurance agreement. The Company plans to renew the agreement with the same details at the next renewal.

Executive Officer

  • Ryo Tomizawa
    Executive Officer, Vice President
  • Yuichiro Haruyama
    Executive Officer, Vice President & CSO 
  • Koyu Furukawa
    Executive Officer
  • Kazunobu Tanaka
    Executive Officer, Premium Fats Sdn Bhd COO
  • Koji Yamaguchi
    Executive Officer
  • Kazumi Hataya
    Executive Officer
  • Atsuki Mizumoto
    Executive Officer
  • Yasuhisa Ebuchi
    Executive Officer & CHRO
  • Kazuya Kondo
    Executive Officer
  • Kazushi Takahashi 
    Executive Officer 
  • Takayuki Uchida
    Executive Officer