Visit by Mr Tetsuro Eto, Japan Representative, Washington State Department of Commerce

On April 8, Mr Tetsuro Eto, Japan Representative of the Washington State Department of Commerce, visited ABS. During his visit, an engaging exchange of views took place through a meeting and a luncheon with Dean Takamichi Hosoda. Professors Naohiro Sawada, Kenichiro Kuroiwa, Tsutomu Nakano, Toru Fukuda and Associate Professor Yuta Hirose also joined the discussions.

Mr Eto has been actively promoting open innovation between Seattle and Japan. In particular, he supports matching Japanese companies with cutting-edge technologies and businesses in the United States especially in the fields of AI and startups and has successfully facilitated multiple U.S. companies’ entry into the Japanese market and the establishment of strategic partnerships. In addition, as a Specially Appointed Professor at Tohoku University’s Organization for International Initiatives, he leads international joint research and industry-academia collaboration projects with the University of Washington, contributing to the advancement of US-Japan collaboration from both industrial and academic perspectives. He is also active as a Senior Partner at SWAN Venture Group and as the organizer of the Japan Seattle AI Innovation Meetup.

This visit is expected to further strengthen collaboration in education and research, including potential lectures and engagement opportunities with ABS students and alumni.