The Future of Earth and Biodiversity Week
Achieving a circular economy
Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition
Discussion
- Others
Reservations are required for this programme.
Booking is available from the 2-month advance draw. Please check the site below for the timing of the booking start.
Please note that bookings may not be available due to the status.
For more information about making a reservation to watch a programme.
This programme is scheduled to be live streamed at the Virtual Expo. We will inform you once it is confirmed.
-
Agenda2025
Organised Programme
- * Programme times and content are subject to change. Any changes will be announced on this website and via the ticket booking system.
- Time and
Date of
the event -
-
2025.09.19[Fri]
13:30 ～ 15:30
(Venue Open 13:00)
-
- Venue
- Theme Weeks Studio
Programme details
The programme, together with the General Sponsors, explores: 'Is it possible to pursue a prosperous future by the concept of a "circular economy" as a means to balance the economy, well-being, and sustainability?'
Cast
Moderator
Tokutaro Nakai
Advisor at Nippon Steel Cooperation, Former Deputy Minister of Environment, Representative Director of the 3,000-Year Future Conference
Born in 1962, he graduated from the University of Tokyo Faculty of Law in 1985 and entered the Ministry of Finance. After serving as First Secretary at the Embassy of Japan in the United Kingdom, Director of the Living Environment Department of Toyama Prefecture, Director of the Public Relations Office of the Ministry of Finance, Professor at the Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Planning Officer at the Financial Bureau, and Principal Accounting Officer at the Ministry of Finance, he joined the Ministry of the Environment in July 2011, after the Great East Japan Earthquake. After serving as Director of the Accounting Division, Director of the Secretarial Division, Director of the Waste Management and Recycling Department, and Director-General for Comprehensive Environmental Policy, he became Administrative Vice Minister for the Environment in July 2020. He has been deeply committed to the regional recycling symbiosis zone concept, the 2050 carbon neutrality target, and the promotion of carbon pricing, and after retiring in July 2022, he became an advisor to Nippon Steel Corporation and representative director of the Council for the Future of Three Thousand Years.
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Speakers
© 2024 Noboru Ota
Noboru Ota
Mayor of Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture
After graduating from the Law School at Kyoto University in March 1975, Noboru Ota joined Kyoto Prefecture in April of the same year, where he served as Manager of the Finance Division of the General Affairs Department, Director of Staff in the Governor’s office (Director of Human Resources Department), Director of the Governor's Office, and Director of the General Affairs Department, before becoming Deputy Governor of Kyoto Prefecture in 2010 In April 2013, Ota was appointed Mayor of Maniwa City and is currently serving his third term. Under the slogan of the SDGs, Ota is promoting regional revitalization for sustainable regional development, such as wood biomass power generation projects that utilize local resources.
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Veena Sahajwalla
Scientia Professor, Centre for Sustainable Materials Research & Technology, The University of New Souths Wales
Professor Veena Sahajwalla is an internationally recognised materials scientist, engineer, and inventor revolutionising recycling science. She is renowned for pioneering the high temperature transformation of waste in the production of a new generation of ‘green materials’ at the UNSW Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (SMaRT) Centre, where she is Founding Director. Professor Veena is the inventor of polymer injection technology, known as green steel, an eco-friendly process for using recycled tyres in steel production. In 2018, Veena launched the world's first e-waste MICROfactorieTM and in 2019 she launched her plastics and Green Ceramics MICROfactoriesTM, a recycling technology breakthrough. Professor Veena is the director of the ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hub for ‘microrecycling’, a leading national research centre that works in collaboration with industry to ensure new recycling science is translated into real world environmental and economic benefits. Professor Veena has also been appointed hub leader of the national NESP Sustainable Communities and Waste Hub. In 2021, Professor Veena featured in the ABC’s Australian Story and she was named the 2022 NSW Australian of the Year in recognition of her work. Professor Veena was named the 2022 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes winner for the Celestino Eureka Prize for Promoting Understanding of Science and was also awarded the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE) Clunies Ross Innovation Award. In 2023, Professor Veena was awarded the Engineering Australia Chemical College Chemical Engineer Achievement Award and the Good Design 2023 Women in Design Award.
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Rahul Bhasin
Managing Partner, Baring Private Equity Partnes India Pvt. Ltd
Rahul Bhasin is the Managing Partner of Baring Private Equity Partners India and a Senior Partner and Global Board Member of Baring Private Equity Partners (BPEP) International. Rahul is a member of the Investment Committees and Advisory boards internationally including for the Barings and ING group entities. He was part of a group of three executive global board members that led the MBO of Barings globally. He has chaired the board of several listed and unlisted companies in India and abroad. He has served as the Chairman of Mphasis Limited and oversaw its transformation from a loss-making start up to fast growing profitable company. Introducing several managerial, hygiene, productivity and growth drivers, followed by a roll up strategy, the company now enjoys a market cap in excess of $6 billion. He has been on multiple government advisory bodies and forums.
Prior to Baring, Rahul managed propriety and third-party capital and was part of the global Asset Allocation Committee of at Citibank, overseeing a $83 billion portfolio. Besides his experience in the developed markets, he has actively invested in the emerging markets including Latin America, Eastern Europe, Russia and Asia. He has also managed a portfolio of derivative securities investing in the developed markets. Rahul also had oversight of an 800+ strong IT department and oversaw a unit in charge of all new business launches for Citigroup worldwide. He was the youngest ever Independent Treasurer at Citibank worldwide. Rahul is an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. He has been a guest lecturer/visiting faculty at Harvard Business School, Wharton, ISB, IIM Ahmedabad and Ashoka University.
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Saori Koga
Assistant General Manager MITSUBISHI MATERIALS CORPORATION, METALS COMPANY, Business Development Dept. Resource Circulation Div.
・Responsible for development and operation of resource circulation business at Mitsubishi Materials Corporation(MMC) with its vision of “Circulation Resources"
・Brand manager of “REMINE”, MMC's recycled metals brand
・Professional Engineer(Resources Recycle & Environmental Security)
・Member of Gender Equality Committee of The Institution of Professional Engineers, Japan
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The Future of Earth and Biodiversity Week
Achieving a circular economy
-
2025.09.19[Fri]
13:30～15:30
(Venue Open 13:00)
- Theme Weeks Studio
- * Programme times and content are subject to change. Any changes will be announced on this website and via the ticket booking system.
Reservations are required for this programme.
Booking is available from the 2-month advance draw. Please check the site below for the timing of the booking start.
Please note that bookings may not be available due to the status.
For more information about making a reservation to watch a programme.
This programme is scheduled to be live streamed at the Virtual Expo. We will inform you once it is confirmed.
OTHER PROGRAM
The Future of Earth and Biodiversity Week
