—Why did you choose to pursue platform studies?

In the Master's program, I pursued research themed on solving rural community issues through the utilization of web technology. I wanted to look beyond the realm of agricultural studies and incorporate informatics into my research to catch up on the latest technologies and expand the technical scope of my approach to the solution of problems, and thus enrolled in the School of Platforms from my doctoral program.

—What research themes are you currently working on?

My research theme has to do with harnessing Web 3.0 technologies to find solutions to the problems facing rural communities. I believe the issues facing rural communities can be jointly resolved by the stakeholder population and neighboring villages through the launch of decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) and the issuance of nonfungible tokens (NFTs). Aging and depopulation trends have advanced in rural communities across Japan. Moreover, many villages face difficulty solving their problems on their own. In exploring these challenges, I took note of the potential offered by online platforms and the DAO concept. Communities that have undergone depopulation or face poor economic conditions are still characterized by a rural social culture that is not easy for outsiders to penetrate. I want to create a platform that allows stakeholders to become involved and pursue exchange with these communities through online channels, in lieu of direct visits. I want to help formulate solutions to a variety of rural challenges through a platform that affords benefits that the stakeholder population can recognize and that the many elderly citizens in rural communities will find easy to use.

—What have you gained through the School of Platforms program?

I feel it has equipped me with knowledge of the fundamentals of informatics and trends in that field. I believe it has not only allowed me to deepen my understanding but has also provided me with opportunities to consider the meaning of innovation and what a sustainable platform should be. Our classes and guest lectures have included presentations by not only researchers but many business entrepreneurs as well. From a business perspective, the focus on making contributions to society over the next 10 to 20 years seems relevant to my own research theme and has also influenced my views.

—What is the platform to you (ideal situations, desirable future, etc.)?

I want to use the DAO concept to build a platform that can solve the problems of rural communities. One point I want to stick with is that it be led by local residents. The village of Yamakoshi in Niigata Prefecture counts as one among several examples of DAO implementation by a rural community. However, I feel that this should not be something the stakeholder population can implement unilaterally without reflecting the views of local residents. I want to help ensure that funding and investments will flow into such communities by having local residents launch and utilize DAOs themselves. To that end, a community element—that is, the ties of solidarity and cooperation between individual residents—will be essential. Although crowdfunding is one way of acquiring economic assistance, all residents participating in a DAO can use their tokens to vote and be involved in the decision-making process, and receive incentives in return. What is needed is a mechanism that reflects the views of women and young people who traditionally have had little voice, and that allows participation by anyone who has a problem they want to solve.

—If the goal is to improve the world just a little from where it stands today, what do you think is needed, or what would you like to do?

In advanced nations, the overconcentration of population and power in urban districts has created harms. My view is that our world will improve if these influences are decentralized. The cities are able to exist because they are supplied with food from rural farm communities. The rural districts are able to exist because they have economic and human exchange with the cities. My point is that cities and rural communities are in a relationship of coexistence. That is why I would like to see them utilize the DAO approach and other platforms. I want to make an academic contribution to the involvement of urban citizens in rural affairs. Moreover, I also want to contribute through my daily life with rural communities in mind.