[Bunkyo Gakuin] President and Chairman Masakazu Shimada Appointed as "Local Revitalization Advisor" for Kamaishi City, Iwate Prefecture

The Bunkyo Gakuin school corporation (Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo) is pleased to announce that its President and Chairman, Masakazu Shimada, has been appointed as a "Kamaishi City Local Revitalization Advisor" for Kamaishi City, Iwate Prefecture. Bunkyo Gakuin University and Kamaishi City have so far built a strong relationship of trust towards solving regional issues and promoting human exchange through the conclusion of a comprehensive cooperation agreement and recovery support activities by students. With this appointment, we will further contribute to the development of the local community and the promotion of sustainable local revitalization. Background of the "Kamaishi City Local Revitalization Advisor" System In Kamaishi City, Iwate Prefecture, the "Kamaishi City Local Revitalization Advisor" system was introduced in fiscal 2015 to obtain professional guidance and advice from experts in various fields for the promotion of local revitalization. Currently, 10 external experts selected from the industrial, administrative, educational, and financial sectors have been commissioned, and they provide recommendations on the direction and specific plans of the city's comprehensive strategy, as well as verify and evaluate projects. Profile of the newly appointed President and Chairman, Masakazu Shimada Ph.D. in Business Administration (Meiji University). Born in 1961. Graduated from the School of Social Sciences, Waseda University. Completed the doctoral program at the Graduate School of Business Administration, Meiji University, without a degree. Visiting Scholar at the University of Michigan, Fellow at the Center for Japanese Business Studies, Graduate School of Commerce, Hitotsubashi University, and Executive Director of the Business History Society of Japan (2015-2016). ■ 1993: Full-time Lecturer, Faculty of Business Administration, Bunkyo Women's University (now Bunkyo Gakuin University) ■ 2001: Professor, Faculty of Business Administration, Bunkyo Women's University (now Bunkyo Gakuin University) ■ 2015: Appointed Chairman of the Board, Bunkyo Gakuen School Corporation ■ 2022: Appointed President and Chairman of the Board, Bunkyo Gakuin School Corporation As a professor in the Faculty of Business Administration at the university, he is in charge of "Theory of Management." He has authored many books, including "Shibusawa Eiichi: Pioneer of Social Entrepreneurs" and "Reading Eiichi Shibusawa's Messages in the Original Texts." The History of Bunkyo Gakuin University and Kamaishi City Bunkyo Gakuin University has continued to interact with Kamaishi City from immediately after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake to the present. ■ 2011～: Recovery support through the production and sale of charity goods by the student group "Bremens" ■ 2017～: Started the "Neba~Daruma Project," a recovery activity promoted together with the citizens of Kamaishi ■ February 2020: Concluded a "Comprehensive Cooperation Agreement" for the purpose of regional community development, human resource development, and academic promotion ■ 2022～: Exhibits annually at the "Sea and Hope School Festival in Kamaishi," holding workshops that parents and children can enjoy ■ 2023～: Deploys the university's unique educational program "Kamaishi Study-cation," where students work on internships to solve regional issues while taking regular classes on-site ■ July 2024: President and Chairman Masakazu Shimada gives a lecture at the 4th Kamaishi Chamber of Commerce and Industry assembly meeting, titled "Learning from Eiichi Shibusawa, the Face of the New 10,000 Yen Bill: The Future Role of Industry and Education" ■ February 2026: President and Chairman Masakazu Shimada appointed as Kamaishi City Local Revitalization Advisor ■ May 16, 2026～: The 4th "Kamaishi Study-cation" will be held. 10 students are scheduled to stay for two weeks. Leveraging these many years of activity and expertise, Chairman Shimada will provide advice as an advisor on the steady promotion of the 3rd Kamaishi City Population Vision and Open City Strategy, and on projects utilizing national grants.