Dr. Brender was instrumental in bringing Lakeland University Japan to where it is today. From 2006 to 2022, Dr. Brender served as Dean of LUJ, directing its transformation from a 2-year college in Shinjuku to an established 4-year university now in Ryogoku. 

No stranger to the world of publishing, Dr. Brender is the author of over 20 books, but Pink Tsunami might be his most ambitious. The serendipitous dean and global traveler compiled hundreds of sources and completed interviews to deliver a comprehensive narrative history about the cultural legacy of Hello Kitty, a character now over a half-century old. “I wrote the book,” Dr. Brender explains in its preface, “because I am interested in the character as a cultural phenomenon that originated in Japan, but gained international fame.”

In Chapter 1 of the book, Dr. Brender is quick to place Hello Kitty in the pantheon of cartoon legend greats. “She’s probably the most popular female cartoon character in the world. Minnie Mouse, Daisy Duck and Peppa Pig, an anthropomorphic British piglet, don’t hold a candle to her. She’s neck and neck, sometimes slightly ahead, and sometimes slightly behind Mickey Mouse as the most popular global cartoon animal.”

The book can also be purchased on Amazon. 

In July, Dr. Brender spoke with Rebekah Buchanan for New Books Network about Pink Tsunami.

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LUJ has been officially shortlisted in the highly competitive “Partnership of the Year” category. This nomination recognizes LUJ’s collaborative initiative with Archipelago Education Consultancy, a global firm, focusing on “Post-pandemic HEI (Higher Education Institution) revitalization”.

This nomination underscores LUJ’s agile response to complex global challenges. The distinguished judging panel, drawn from across the international education community, specifically seeks out bold ideas, outstanding impact, and fresh thinking that pushes boundaries and raises standards. By collaborating with Archipelago Education Consultancy, LUJ has successfully strategized the university’s post-pandemic growth, cementing its position as an innovative American university in Tokyo.

For LUJ undergraduate and postgraduate students, by attending an institution recognized for its award worthy global partnerships, students gain the advantage of learning in a resilient, forward-thinking academic environment. Students directly benefit by seeing how high-level strategic partnerships operate to solve systemic international issues. This global recognition elevates the value of the LUJ American liberal arts experience, ensuring that graduates, whether entering the global workforce or advancing through the M.B.A. and M.S. in Leadership programs, are prepared to thrive and lead in the modern, rapidly evolving educational and corporate landscape.

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Lakeland University Japan (LUJ) continuously fosters cross-cultural harmony by integrating its international student body into deep-rooted Japanese traditions. As part of its long-standing relationship with the Tokyo community, participating in the historic local matsuri (festival) has become a tradition that the university proudly supports each year. A matsuri serves as a vibrant celebration of neighborhood deities, historical milestones, or the changing of seasons. LUJ students and staff join the traditional celebration and undertake the physically demanding, and spiritually significant, task of carrying the mikoshi (a portable Shinto shrine).

To understand the deep impact of this annual commitment, one can look at the contrasting experiences of the last two years. In August 2025, five Student Government Association (SGA) members and one LUJ staff member stepped up to represent the university. Carrying a mikoshi requires immense collective strength, as the elaborate wooden structures frequently weigh up to a ton. The LUJ volunteers joined forces with a massive neighborhood cohort of 50 to 60 people to escort the structure across the ward, swapping in and out as they made traditional pit stops to lift and shake the shrine over their heads in front of influential local businesses.

SGA President Josh Luderman, who led the 2025 cohort, described the grueling physical toll and intense team dynamics required during their hour-long lap around Sumida. “I was dead afterwards. Legs cooked, drenched in sweat,” Luderman recalled. “I… Yeah, I went into a coma when I got home. Took a shower. Best sleep I’ve ever had.”

This annual participation builds directly on the success of prior years, such as the October 2024 festival. In 2024, the university established a highly successful cross-cultural collaboration in Bunkyo City, where seven LUJ students and two staff members worked hand-in-hand with Bunkyo Gakuin University (BGU). Student writer Avion Smith, who participated in the 2024 event, reflected on the deep sense of community that transcends the physical exhaustion: “It was an amazing time. When we finished, there was a lots of food stalls and games at the shrine we ended up at. My body was hurting but I felt more a part of community.”

To fully respect and immerse themselves in the local custom each year, the LUJ participants don traditional festival attire. This includes the fundoshi (a traditional Japanese loincloth) and tabi (split-toe cultural footwear). Former SGA member Frank Ogden, who participated alongside Luderman, emphasized how donning the traditional clothing added to the depth of the experience, stating, “We wore everything that the Japanese participants were wearing. It was really cool, you really look the part and feel engaged in the local culture.”

Frank also detailed the precise coordination required to keep the mikoshi balanced and moving smoothly through the neighborhood streets. “The crazy part, though, is that you’re walking completely in step with each other. So, if you walk out of step just once it’s just going to keep slamming on your shoulder. So, yeah, it hurts,” he explained. Furthermore, the festival structures its volunteers by neighborhood layout, assigning designated textiles to represent specific streets. Frank noted that their participation was based on representing the specific street they came from, denoted by unique cloths displaying the local street numbers.

Angel noted that the surrounding community warmly welcomes the international student presence every year. At various checkpoints, neighborhood commercial businesses, such as the local drugstore, actively support the exhausted carriers by offering them refreshments. Commenting on the cross-generational nature of the event, Angel observed, “Many people who held the mikoshi that we were carry were older people, so I assume they’re not students.” Although volunteer spots are traditionally filled via SGA meeting announcements, student leaders look forward to scaling up student participation for future neighborhood festivals to get even more people involved.

For LUJ undergraduate and postgraduate students, stepping out into recurring local cultural celebrations like the Sumida Matsuri delivers vital, real-world developmental advantages. By collaborating directly with neighborhood councils, elder generations, and local commercial businesses, students actively translate the core tenets of cross-cultural communication and adaptive leadership into tangible community action. They develop a strong foundation of executive empathy, resilience, and civic responsibility by representing their university as global ambassadors. This shared, ongoing engagement ensures that an LUJ education extends far beyond theoretical textbook reading, allowing students to network meaningfully, navigate diverse societal ecosystems, and uncover a profound sense of personal and professional purpose during their time in Tokyo.

Lakeland University Japan’s Cultural Events are open to all undergraduate and postgraduate students.

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A Foundation in Academic and Technical Excellence

Born in Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Mr. Iwashima brings a formidable academic and technical background to his executive leadership. He earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, as well as an additional Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics, from the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

This deep technical expertise has been pivotal throughout his tenure at MetLife Japan, where he has held a wide range of senior leadership roles spanning Distribution, Operations, and enterprise-wide initiatives in both change management and digital delivery. In 2020, he took on the critical role of Chief Customer Officer, where he was responsible for defining customer strategy, enhancing customer experiences, and driving a pervasive “Customer Focus” culture throughout the entire company.

Navigating Transformation and Digital Strategy

In his current role, which he assumed in 2025, Mr. Iwashima leads Digital Sales and Sales Support. He is directly responsible for Distribution Strategy, Training, Sales Quality, and Field Operations, while actively driving digital sales capabilities across all organizational channels.

Drawing deeply on this vast experience in strategy, operations, and digital transformation, Mr. Iwashima offered students highly practical insights into navigating organizational change. He emphasized the critical role of digital innovation in strengthening sales capabilities and maximizing customer engagement, sharing firsthand knowledge of how MetLife Japan supports the evolution of its sales organization.

Academic Rigor, Student Benefits, and Institutional Impact

For LUJ undergraduate and postgraduate students, engaging with an elite executive like Mr. Iwashima offers profound, real-world developmental benefits. By analyzing how a major corporation manages enterprise-wide initiatives and adapts its customer engagement models to technological shifts, students successfully bridge the gap between academic theory and high-level corporate execution. This interactive seminar ensured that LUJ graduates are fully equipped to understand complex digital delivery systems and lead organizational transformations in their own future careers.

Lakeland University Japan’s Leadership Seminars are open to all undergraduate and postgraduate students.

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Brand trust starts long before a product reaches the customer. On Wednesday July 8th 2026, Lakeland University Japan (LUJ) proudly welcomed Mr. Mehmet Uysal, a Senior Manager at Amazon Japan, to present a special guest lecture titled, Brand Trust as Strategy: Protecting Brand Value Through Ethical Supply Chains. Students from LUJ’s MBA and undergraduate programs joined the highly interactive session.

Hosted by Dr. Seval Yurtcicek Ozaydin as part of the MBA course BA750 Applied Marketing Management, the session explored how global companies build, protect, and sometimes rebuild brand trust through ethical supply chain management, transparency, and effective crisis communication.

A Global Journey of Impact and Challenge

Mr. Uysal shared his expansive 16-year professional journey, which began in telecommunications with Ericsson in Turkey and took him across the globe to the Middle East, Sweden, the United States, India, Ethiopia, Taiwan, and Japan. Continuing his trajectory, he will soon be transitioning to AWS Australia to lead digital and supply chain transformations.

When asked by a student about the most impactful role he has held, Mr. Uysal explained that impact is deeply tied to the level of difficulty and commitment involved. Reflecting on a high-stakes, near-break-in contract during his time in Taiwan, he noted, “When you look at the impact for the society, for the customer, for my company, for me in my career, I would say that was definitely a very good turnout. The most challenging assignment became the most impactful success story as well.”

Visibility, Risk, and Brand Trust

Connecting supply chain realities directly to Dr. Yurtcicek Ozaydin’s marketing curriculum, Mr. Uysal emphasized the fragility of brand trust. He asked the class to consider if they knew whether the workers behind their recent online deliveries were paid fairly, illustrating the massive disconnect between consumer trust and supply chain visibility.

Addressing a student’s question about how massive corporations prevent supplier abuses, Mr. Uysal offered a grounded perspective on risk management. “It’s impossible to 100% avoid these kind of problems,” he explained. “But we more focus on try to bring more visibility on where the risks are and to be prepared how to respond when the incident happens.” He emphasized that a company’s true test is how its top management responds to crises and protects its core brand value.

Academic Rigor, Student Benefits, and Institutional Impact

For LUJ undergraduate and MBA students, interacting with a global executive like Mr. Uysal offers profound, real-world developmental benefits. Students gained practical insights into the growing connection between marketing, sustainability, and corporate reputation while engaging in thoughtful discussions throughout the session. By examining practical case studies involving major brands like Nike and Amazon, students develop advanced executive insight into the intersection of corporate social responsibility and marketing strategy.

Lakeland University Japan’s guest lectures are open to all undergraduate and postgraduate students.

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The Chashitsu as a Sanctuary for Spiritual Growth

Professor Lionberger began by framing the tea room (chashitsu) not merely as a place for a beverage, but as a dedicated space for exploring the struggles of life, seeking wisdom, and asking the ultimate question: What is it to be human?

Tracing the historical context back to the era of Buddhist priests between 1250 and 1480, she described a turbulent time of vast economic and social disparity in Japan, where people were either rapidly acquiring wealth or facing severe hardship. Ms. Lionberger described how during these challenging times, the tea room emerged as a crucial sanctuary, a place where individuals could seek refuge, help one another, and pursue vital spiritual growth.

Riddles of the Jiku

The focal point of Professor Lionberger’s presentation was the Jiku, the traditional calligraphy scrolls traditionally hung in the tea room to set the thematic tone for a gathering. She explained how rather than offering simple statements, these scrolls often present profound riddles meant to encourage deep consideration and mindfulness.

She elaborated on the lecture’s title, drawing from a famous Zen-inspired phrase often hung in the tea room: “Look under your own feet.” Professor Lionberger shared several other powerful examples of Jiku calligraphy, highlighting how their vague, poetic nature allows them to act as mirrors for the human experience:

• “Blue, Mountain, Green, Water”
• “Harmony, Face, Affection, Word”
• “Bamboo” – symbolizing an unwavering, strong foundation.
• “Water fall” – reflecting something that is simultaneously beautiful and immensely strong.
• “Drifting Cloud, Flowing Water”
• “Cast Off Down Fetters” – a reminder to let go of earthly burdens and attachments.
• “Dream” – showcasing the dynamic artist style of older kanji brushed by famous Japanese historical figures.

A key takeaway from the seminar was that the interpretation of these scrolls is never static. Phrases like “Day, After, Day, Good, Day” can mean entirely different things to an individual depending on their current mindset, shifting continuously as they age and navigate new struggles. Ultimately, Professor Lionberger reminded the audience, “There are no correct answers. The answer depends on the mind and heart.”

The Summer Stamp Rally Challenge and Student Benefits

Professor Lionberger’s presentation was a core component of LUJ’s Summer Stamp Rally Challenge. Designed to encourage students to dive deeper into Japanese culture and history, partipants of 2 out of 4 designated Japanese culture and history lectures held in Muskie Hall will receive a highly coveted Tokyo Museum Grutto Pass that grants students free or discounted entry to 107 museums and zoos across Tokyo, remaining valid for two full months from its first use. This incredible benefit allows students to take the philosophical and historical lessons learned in Muskie Hall and apply them directly as they explore Tokyo’s rich cultural landscape.

The impact of Professer Lionberger’s discussions on cultural immersion was deeply felt by attendees. LUJ student Yan reflected on the experience, noting, “It was fun. Having many interpretations for a single word is interesting, and I like the artistic style of the older kanji.” By actively integrating traditional Japanese arts and Zen philosophy into the American liberal arts experience, LUJ ensures its students develop robust critical thinking skills and the adaptable mindset required to navigate the complexities of the modern world.

Lakeland University Japan’s Stamp Rally Lectures are open to all undergraduate and postgraduate students.

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The Evolution of AI Discourse and Methodology

To understand how AI evolved from a specialized technology into a mainstream societal force, Dr. Kiprop and his research team utilized Python to extract public transcripts, performing rigorous corpus statistics, lexical analysis, and thematic analysis. The findings revealed a dramatic shift in global discourse:

• 2019–2020 (AI as Infrastructure): The tone was highly optimistic, viewing AI primarily as a specialized educational and tutoring tool.
• 2021–2022 (AI as Enhancement): The discourse matured into a pragmatic approach, focusing on enhancement.
• 2023–2024 (Generative AI Disruption): Following the widespread release of generative models, the tone shifted to cautious, treating AI as a massive disruptive force.
• 2025–2026 (Institutional Adaptation): Current discussions have adopted a strategic tone, focusing heavily on how institutions must navigate and implement the new AI landscape.

The Four Stakeholder Perspectives

Dr Kiprop explained that as AI becomes a major societal issue, understanding how different groups interpret its impact is critical. The research compared four key stakeholder groups, revealing widely varying priorities:

1. Education Specialists and Learning Experts: Initially optimistic, educators have become highly cautious and strategic. Their primary concerns revolve around students, academic integrity, assessment, and pedagogical support.
2. Industry Leaders and Tech Executives: Maintaining a pragmatic and opportunity-oriented tone, this group focuses on business value, enterprise disruption, workforce skills, and human-AI collaboration.
3. Policy and Research Institutions: Organizations like UNESCO and the OECD have shifted from cautious optimism to action-oriented policy building, focusing heavily on AI governance, ethical frameworks, regulation, and systemic adaptation.
4. AI Creators and Tech Influencers: Representing the fastest adopters, this group is highly enthusiastic. They show the least concern for educational risks and focus heavily on technical capabilities, coding, and entrepreneurial empowerment.

The Liberal Arts Advantage in the AI Era

One of the most dynamic moments of the seminar occurred during the Q&A session, which sparked a debate regarding who truly benefits most from generative AI. While many assume science and engineering students have the upper hand, Dr. Kiprop presented a compelling counter-argument: Liberal Arts students might be the biggest beneficiaries of AI tools.

Historically, Liberal Arts students have excelled in soft skills, such as critical thinking, leadership, and communication, but may have lacked specialized technical skills like coding. Dr. Kiprop believes that generative AI is able to bridges this technical gap. He explained that because complex coding and data analysis are now easily accessible via AI, students with strong communication and critical thinking skills can use AI to execute technical tasks. This makes them incredibly empowered in areas like entrepreneurship, allowing them to seamlessly execute their creative and strategic visions.

Academic Rigor, Student Benefits, and Institutional Impact

For LUJ undergraduate and postgraduate students, engaging in these high-level academic seminars offers profound, real-world developmental benefits. By analyzing how different sectors view artificial intelligence, students gain a strategic understanding of the modern workforce. Addressing questions on how to implement AI in teaching, Dr. Kiprop noted that the tone in education has shifted from resistance to acceptance, meaning the focus must now be on the best strategies for adoption. LUJ’s robust Liberal Arts curriculum ensures that students develop irreplaceable human skills while learning to confidently command AI as a technical tool. This holistic approach ensures that LUJ graduates are not intimidated by technological disruption, but are uniquely equipped to lead the future of human-AI collaboration.

Lakeland University Japan’s Lunch and Learn sessions are open to all undergraduate and postgraduate students.

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On June 23rd, 2026, Lakeland University Japan (LUJ) welcomed Dr. Manabu Sawaguchi to present to postgraduate students as part of Professor Yasuaki Mori’s postgraduate course, LO710 –Leadership Seminar: Systems Theory, Adaptive and Servant Leadership. Dr. Sawaguchi serves as a Professor at the Graduate School of Technology Management at Ritsumeikan University. He brings a formidable academic and corporate background to the classroom, having graduated from the Faculty of Engineering at Keio University and completed his Doctoral Program (Ph.D. in Engineering) at the Graduate School of Science and Engineering at Waseda University. Following his work for a major steel trading company, he joined the Value Management Center at Sanno University, further solidifying his expertise in enterprise management.

A central theme of Dr. Sawaguchi’s presentation was the rapid evolution of engineers against the backdrop of Japan’s current socioeconomic challenges, which include stagnation in capital expenditures, an accelerating aging population with declining birth rates, and a stagnation in advanced technological progress.

To navigate these challenges, Dr. Sawaguchi outlined the changing profile of engineers across three distinct generations. The First Generation consisted of Field-Oriented and Cost-Conscious Engineers who focused on quality assurance, delivery, and price guarantees. The Second Generation evolved into Customer-Focused and Environmentally Conscious Engineers, prioritizing safety and environmental assurance. Today, industry demands the Third Generation: The Future-Oriented Engineer, who must identify potential requirements and navigate the VUCA era, characterized by Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity.

To thrive in this complex landscape, Dr. Sawaguchi stressed that high-performing employees require three essential skills: Pure Technologies (cutting-edge, job-specific abilities), HRM Skills (interpersonal skills for smooth organizational operations), and MOT (Management of Technology) Methods, which focus on problem-solving and issue-resolution abilities. Dr. Sawaguchi noted that MOT Methods are his primary area of research.

He challenged students to understand innovation in a broad sense by exploring foundational classifications. This included Joseph Schumpeter’s five types of innovation (Product, Process, Market, Supply Chain, and Organizational), Clayton Christensen’s framework of Sustaining and Disruptive Innovation, and Henry Chesbrough’s concepts of Open and Closed Innovation. By mastering these frameworks, professionals can better balance corporate objectives, successfully contributing to society while ensuring corporate prosperity and profit generation through strategic pricing, volume increases, or cost reduction.

Dr. Sawaguchi introduced students to highly advanced concepts in product development and value engineering. He observed that Japanese companies and societies are sometimes attracted to the concept of “Convenience Harm,” a state where unintended, convenient factors actually manifest as harm for a significant number of people, leading to the invention of many inconvenient products over time. Utilizing the Kano Model, he explained that while many engineers struggle with indifferent and reverse quality, there is a profound new concept emerging in product development known as the “Inconvenience-benefit”. To effectively drive these new values from strategy to execution, he highlighted the Four Domain Model of Leadership, which encompasses Strategy Execution, Goal Achievement, Talent Development, and Value Creation.

For LUJ undergraduate and postgraduate students, attending these elite Leadership Seminars offers unparalleled d developmental benefits. By interacting directly with a leading engineering and technology management scholar like Dr. Sawaguchi, students gain a highly practical understanding of how complex operational theories and MOT methods are applied to overcome macroeconomic challenges. Students benefit immensely by learning to map technological evolution against sociological shifts, equipping them to lead effectively in a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) corporate landscape. Furthermore, they develop deep executive insight into how innovative product realization and nuanced concepts like the “Inconvenience-benefit” intersect to solve modern industrial issues, directly complementing the rigorous strategic frameworks taught in their M.B.A. and M.S. coursework.

Lakeland University Japan’s Leadership Seminars are open to all undergraduate and postgraduate students.

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Lakeland University Japan (LUJ) gladly welcomed Mr. Shinichiro Mita to present to postgraduate students as part of the esteemed LO710 –Leadership Seminar: Systems Theory, Adaptive and Servant Leadership series. Serving as the General Manager of the Overseas Mineral Resources Business Department at Nittetsu Mining Co., Ltd., Mr. Mita is recognized as a driving force behind the global modernization of his company.

His presentation offered profound insights into leading a strategic shift from a traditional domestic miner to an aggressive international competitor. Mr. Mita shared his expansive career trajectory, which began in accounting and financing before moving to corporate strategy, metals sales, and eventually serving as the General Manager of a Chilean subsidiary after working on the construction of a copper mine in Chile. Through these experiences, he developed his core philosophy: the “Spirit of Challenge”. He advocated that even legacy industrial firms must innovate and take calculated risks to remain relevant in a volatile global market.

Putting this philosophy into action, Mr. Mita orchestrated the acquisition of major copper projects in Chile and Peru, securing essential resources vital for the global green energy transition. Furthermore, he oversees complex metallurgical and feasibility studies to ensure sustainable and high-yield mineral extraction across the Americas and the Asia-Pacific region. Through this leadership, he is credited with shifting his company’s corporate culture from a “stable, risk-averse” mindset to one defined by “proactive growth and challenge”.

To successfully navigate international expansion, Mr. Mita detailed his two primary leadership missions: acting as an internal Change Agent and an external Bridge Builder. Internally, he addressed the “Management Mismatch” of having two different cultures within one company, a domestic focus on limestone and an overseas focus on copper. He successfully engineered a mindset shift by helping his team overcome resilience to change, status quo bias, and loss aversion.

Externally, as a Bridge Builder, Mr. Mita specializes in high-stakes joint ventures that bridge the gap between Japanese industrial expertise (which emphasizes world-class technology and long-term planning) and international junior exploration firms (which utilize speed, aggressive tactics, and diverse financial options). By integrating local partners for community relationships and building diverse, multilingual teams focused on intercultural communication and global mobility, he ensures seamless cross-cultural collaboration.

Reminding students that “Leadership is a never-ending journey,” Mr. Mita offered grounded, practical advice for navigating high-pressure corporate environments. When facing immense challenges, his approach centers on patience and perspective: “When I meet difficulties, I don’t choose anything, just wait. And over it with time”. He also encouraged the postgraduate students to stay present in their work, advising them not to worry too much about the final outcomes of a project, but instead to focus intensely on the process they are currently working on.

By interacting directly with a global executive like Mr. Mita, LUJ postgraduate students gain a highly practical understanding of how to execute complex corporate strategies and navigate international cultural exchanges. Students benefit immensely by learning how to bridge the gap between diverse mindsets and manage the transition of legacy domestic firms into competitive global entities. Furthermore, they develop deep executive insight into the practical applications of cross-cultural communication, joint-venture management, and strategy execution, directly complementing the rigorous strategic and organizational leadership frameworks taught in their M.B.A. and M.S. coursework.

Lakeland University Japan’s Leadership Seminars are open to all undergraduate and postgraduate students.

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Dr. Kiprop and LUJ Vice President, Dr. Anderson Passos, previously attended the main SusHi Tech Tokyo event on May 29th, 2026, with a group of enterprising students and met with business specialists from across Japan and around the world. Closely collaborating with SusHi Tech co-founder Mr. Masataka Keireiji, Dr. Kiprop invited a select group of speakers who are authorities in their respective fields to judge the LUJ Global Student Innovation Challenge:

Mr. Masataka Keireiji (One-stop Inc. and City-Tech Tokyo) –Masataka Keireiji is the Founder of One-stop Inc., a startup launched in 2024 that supports foreign companies entering the Japanese market. He previously engaged in general consulting spanning strategy, HR, systems, and BPR at PwC Consulting, where he also served as an expatriate in Singapore. He later oversaw global projects as a department head at Deloitte Tohmatsu Venture Support and served as the Project Lead for “City-Tech Tokyo,” the predecessor to “SusHi Tech Tokyo.”

Ms. Sasha Lee Seals (Nagareyama LEAD and Global Jamaica Diaspora Council) – Sasha Seals is Representative Director and incoming CEO of Nagareyama LEAD, a youth entrepreneurship organization preparing children aged 10–14 in Japan for the AI era through bilingual curriculum and real-world venture-building. A Jamaica-born, Japan-based founder of 20+ years, she is an alum of Techstars, AWS Impact Bootcamp Tokyo, and UBS Project Female Founders, and serves as APAC Lead on the Global Jamaica Diaspora Council.

Prof. Tatsuya Tsubuki, (Musashino University) – Tatsuya Tsubuki is a faculty member at Musashino University’s Faculty of Entrepreneurship, where he is involved in the establishment and management of the faculty. He began his career at Matsushita Electric Industrial (Panasonic), gaining experience in overseas sales across Asia and stationed in Indonesia, before leading international business development at a domestic IT company. Since 2008, he has been active in higher education, teaching at Rikkyo University and launching next-generation leader development programs at the Kyoto Institute of Technology. A recipient of the 2014 Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry Career Education Award, he holds an MBA from GLOBIS Graduate School of Management.

Ms. Aska Kuwabara (anosa.ai and GetItDoneWith.AI) – Aska Kuwabara is the Representative Director of anosa.ai, a company building AI-powered conversational soft toys, and the Founder of GetItDoneWith.AI, an operational and product strategy advisory. With over two decades of experience across Japan, Singapore, and the Middle East, she has held product and managerial roles at companies including Rakuten, Twilio, AI Singapore, and Liquidity, leading AI and ML-powered products across finance, e-commerce, and telecommunications. Today, she works across both enterprise advisory and hands-on product development, bringing an execution-oriented perspective to global organisations navigating the AI-driven world.

Prof. Hiroshi Katayama, PhD (Waseda University) –Hiroshi Katayama is a Professor within the Department of Management Systems Engineering at Waseda University’s School of Creative Science and Engineering. Dedicated to bridging the gap between technology and business, his work focuses on fostering science and engineering talent equipped with the critical management skills necessary to lead in modern industries.

Nine LUJ students pitched to the panel on topics ranging from AI film-making to technology-driven subscription platforms for law firms specializing in medical malpractice. The judges presented three students with awards to celebrate their entrepreneurial spirit. 

1. Benjamin Emmanuel Anierobi – Benjamin pitched Rirrakusu Japan (Relax Japan), an organization that provides services to helping busy executives “Reclaim Your Peace and Your Time”. From organizing picnics and arranging the quality time that many executives lack, to taking care of client’s pressing home tasks to relieve the burdens of everyday life,  Rirrakusu Japan resonated with the expert panel thanks to Benjamin’s engaging presentation style.

2. Nidha Effat Jahan  – Dedicated to creating ‘Fashion Without Waste’, Nidha presented ReWear Bangladesh, a project that would encourage young people across Bangladesh to rent high quality fashion, rather than purchasing items they will only use once or twice.

3. Sung Won Kim  – Mikke, the app that Sung Won pitched, was designed to solve Japan’s tourism imbalance, which sees over-tourism in some areas and a lack of visitors in others. With its motto: ‘Ride, Collect, Remember,’ Mikke creates a series of collectable digital items for various undervisited Japanese areas that encourage tourists to explore all of Japan, rather than just the obvious sites.

After the event, Dr. Kiprop said that, “The students that took part in the LUJ Global Student Innovation Challenge have helped develop opportunities for themselves and for the university. By co-hosting an event with SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026, we have helped grow the university’s ecosystem and create new opportunities for student entrepreneurship, business partnership and academic collaboration. My goal is to spend the rest of 2026 preparing our students to have all the entrepreneurship skills they need to expand our presence at SusHi Tech Tokyo 2027 and show all of Tokyo what LUJ has to offer.”

Dr. Eliud Kiprop is an Assistant Professor at Lakeland University Japan with interdisciplinary expertise in environmental studies, engineering, sustainability, mathematics, geospatial analysis, entrepreneurship, and quantitative research methodologies. He teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses and has experience in interdisciplinary instruction spanning mathematics, quantitative reasoning, business research, organizational effectiveness, environmental studies, AI and sustainability, and contemporary global issues.

He holds a PhD in Environmental Studies from the University of Tsukuba, Japan, a Master of Engineering from Ashikaga Institute of Technology, and a Bachelor of Engineering in Chemical and Process Engineering from Moi University, Kenya.

The LUJ Global Student Innovation Challenge was a joint venture between Lakeland University Japan and SuShi Tech Tokyo 2026, and organized with assistance from Archipelago Education Consultancy (アーキペラゴ日本株式会社). Lakeland University Japan and アーキペラゴ日本株式会社 were nominated as finalists for the Partnership of the Year award at the PIEoneer Awards 2026, highlighting the versatility and forward thinking, student centered initiatives that both organizations have implemented.  

The LUJ Global Student Innovation Challenge aligns with SDGs 4 (Quality Education), 8 (Decent Work), 9 (Industry/Innovation), and 17 (Partnerships) by fostering student entrepreneurship through cross-sector tech collaboration.

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