BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Board of directors is decision-making body of IHRA.

Board of Directors As of November, 2023

Chairman

Mr. Shukuri is the Chairman of the International High-speed Rail Association since 2014.
He entered the service of the Ministry of Transport (presently the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) ) in 1974 and has held many important positions since then. Before the Vice-Minister of　MLIT appointment from 2008 to 2012, he had been working as First Secretary of the Embassy of Japan in Indonesia, as the Private Secretary to the Minister of Transport, as the Counsellor of the Cabinet Legislation Bureau, as the Director-General of the Road Transport Bureau, as the Director-General of the Policy Bureau, and as the Deputy Vice-Minister of the Minister’s Secretariat of MLIT.
Presently, he is the Visiting Professor of the Graduate School of Public Policy at the University of Tokyo since 2013, the Chairman of the Japan Transport and Tourism Research Institute (JTTRI) since 2018, and the Chairman of the Japan Maritime Center since 2021.

Vice Chairman

Outside Director
Central Japan Railway Company, Japan

Joseph P. Schmelzeis. Jr.

VIEW MORE

Vice Chairman

Joined Bain & Company, Vice President, Head of Corporate Card, Asia-Pacific, American Express International, COO, International Operations; Representative Director, Japan, Fontworks International, Venture Partner, Crimson Ventures, Owner/Investor in consulting, real estate, and hedge fund businesses, JPS International, K.K., SEGA Corporate Director, Entertainment Park Division Manager, SEGA-SAMMY Holdings K.K., Senior Advisor to the Ambassador, U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, Senior Advisor, The Northeast Maglev (TNEM) (current position), Corporate Advisor, Quantum Accounting K.K. (current position), Country Manager (Japan), IJW Whiskey/Cedarfield G.K. (current position), Member of the Board (Outside board members), DENSO Corporation (current position) and Outside Director of Central Japan Railway Company from 2023.

Director

Senior Executive Officer
East Japan Railway Company, Japan

Shunzo Miyake

VIEW MORE

Director

Joined East Japan Railway Company in 1990. Deputy General Manager, JRE Marketing Department, General Manager, JRE Department of IT & Suica Business Development, General Manager, JRE International Department, General Manager, JRE International Affairs Headquarters (Planning), Executive Officer, General Manager, JRE International Affairs Headquarters, Executive Officer, Planning & International Relations Department Director, JRE International Affairs Headquarters and Senior Executive Officer, Director General of JRE International Affairs Headquarters from June 2023.

Corporate Officer & Executive Vice President
Central Japan Railway Company, Japan

Manabu Ishibashi

VIEW MORE

Director

Joined Central Japan Railway Company in 1989. After Corporate Officer & Deputy Director General of the Corporate Planning Division, General Manager of the Information Systems Department; Corporate Officer & Deputy Director General of the General Technology Division, General Manager of the Technology Planning Department; Corporate Executive Officer & Deputy Director General of the Corporate Planning Division, General Manager of the Investment Planning Department; and Corporate Officer & Executive Vice President from 2024.

Senior Executive Officer
West Japan Railway Company, Japan

Keiya Orinaka

VIEW MORE

Director

Joined West Japan Railway Company in 1990. After Director & Senior General Manager of Sanyo Shinkansen Operations Division, Railway Operations Headquarters; Executive Officer & Director General of Shinkansen Department, Railway Operations Headquarters; and Senior Executive Officer & Director General of Shinkansen Department, Railway Operations Headquarters from 2024.

Director

Joined Japan National Railways (JNR) in 1977. Following privatization of JNR, joined Kyushu Railway Company in 1987. After Director and General Manager of Kagoshima Regional Office, Managing Director, Director General of Railway Operations HQ, and Senior Managing Director, Director General of Railway Operation Headquarters or other careers, President from 2014, Representative Director, President and Corporate Officer from 2018 and Representative Director, Chairman, and Corporate Officer from April 2022.

Senior Advisor
Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation, Taiwan

John Chen

VIEW MORE

Director

Mr. John Chen is the Senior Advisor, Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation, responsible for managing the operation, maintenance, facility engineering and core technology. His experience in railway is more than 35 years. He has technical background in civil engineer, computer science, as well as various fields in practical operation & maintenance expertise.

Auditor

Satoru Watanabe

Deputy General Manager
Infrastructure EPC Management Office,
Plant Engineering Division, Industrial
Infrastructure Group,
Mitsubishi Corporation, Japan

Sosuke Ishida

Section Manager
HSR Project Sect.
Sumitomo Corporation, Japan