Thinking Seriously About What We Can do for Waseda, and Taking Action

Yasuo Yamamoto

President and CEO
Takahata Precision Co., Ltd.
Graduated from Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University in 1988. After working at Mitsui & Co., joined Takahata Seiko Co., Ltd. (currently Takahata Precision Co., Ltd.) in 2002. Appointed President & CEO in 2003.

Continuous relationship building becomes important in technology development that takes years

Takahata Precision, where I serve as CEO, signed an Endowed Chair agreement with Waseda University in July 2023. Through this system, in addition to research support, we support Waseda University in various ways, including support for students, sports activities, and maintaining environments.

It is probably rare to see a company with a scale such as ours investing so much effort into industry-academia collaborations, and my own personal experience has something to do with it. Takahata Precision has bases in eight countries around the world, and up to now, I have spent three quarters of the year overseas. During that time, I have become painfully aware that given its limited land and resources (particularly energy), the only thing that Japan can use as a strength is its technology.

Fostering individuals who can advance technology is extremely important. This understanding brought with it a deep empathy with Waseda University’s mission of research, education, and contribution, and this in turn led to joint research activities.

Research support by Takahata Precision began in AY 2020, in the form of joint R&D through industry-academia collaboration with Waseda University. We established the collaborative laboratory in the Alkaline Energy Device Research Institute, a project laboratory within the Research Organization for Nano & Life Innovation. This organization develops technologies related to next-generation energy devices in Building 121, with a particular focus on organic electronics. We decided to establish the Endowed Chair that I mentioned earlier in the Waseda Center for a Carbon Neutral Society, to further accelerate this research.

The technology development will take decades. It is essential that we put in place an environment that enables long-term research, so in that sense as well, an Endowed Chair that builds a continuing relationship with the University is ideal.

This is very challenging for Takahata Precision as well, but if we look to Japan’s future, taking on this challenge is more than worth it.

At Building 121

An unexpected connection to Waseda sports

The starting point was about six years ago, when we established an unexpected connection with Waseda sports. Prof. Takahiro Ohno in the School of Creative Science and Engineering, with whom I had a close friendship for some time, had been appointed manager of the Waseda University Rugby Football Club, and he invited me to attend some practices and matches. Actually, when I was in university, I was entirely absorbed with laboratory work in the School of Science and Engineering, so I was almost never involved in sports. Coming in contact with Waseda sports, at this late date, as I watched the club members working so hard at both their studies and their athletic skills, I felt that I really wanted to support these activities. Right now, in addition to supporting the Rugby Football Club as an official partner, I also provide support through Waseda fundraising for strengthening sports. Through this support, I began to see the potential for links between academics and Waseda sports. I believe that if we can promote these links and further apply the results of academic research in areas such as training and nutrition to athletic performance, then Waseda sports will become stronger than ever.

I decided to think seriously about what I can do for Waseda University, my alma mater, and take action immediately. I feel that this is part of my role as an alumnus.