Former Vice Minister of the Manufacturing Industries Bureau at METI, Yoshikazu Goto, Appointed as External Advisor

Planbase Inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Takashi Mui), a company providing consulting services for management, subsidies, and DX/AI utilization for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), is pleased to announce that Yoshikazu Goto, former Vice Minister of the Manufacturing Industries Bureau at the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (now the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry), and currently an outside director at SODICK Co., Ltd. and Paramount Bed Holdings Co., Ltd., has been appointed as an external advisor to our company, effective July 1, 2026.

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Profile

Yoshikazu Goto

Joined the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (now the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) in April 1980. He has held positions such as Director of the Standards Division, Industrial Technology and Environment Bureau; Director of the Technology Division, Small and Medium Enterprise Agency; Vice Minister of the Manufacturing Industries Bureau; and Senior Deputy Minister for Manufacturing Industries. He has been at the forefront of industrial technology policy, standardization administration, SME policy, and manufacturing industry policy.

After retiring from public service, he served as a specially appointed professor at the Graduate School of Engineering, Department of Materials Engineering, The University of Tokyo, and as Vice President and Director of the Technical Research Institute at the Japan Machinery Federation.

He currently serves concurrently as an Outside Director (Audit and Supervisory Committee Member) of Paramount Bed Holdings Co., Ltd., an Outside Director of SODICK Co., Ltd., and Representative Director of the Japan Society of Assistive Technologies. He is an expert in manufacturing and industrial policy, possessing both public and private sector perspectives.

【Career Highlights (Excerpts)】

April 1980: Joined the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (now the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry)

August 2003: Director, Standards Division, Industrial Technology and Environment Bureau, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

June 2004: Director, Technology Division, Small and Medium Enterprise Agency, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

July 2008: Vice Minister, Manufacturing Industries Bureau, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

April 2010: Senior Deputy Minister for Manufacturing Industries, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

October 2012: Specially Appointed Professor, Department of Materials Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo

October 2017: Vice President and Director of the Technical Research Institute, Japan Machinery Federation

June 2018: Outside Director (Audit and Supervisory Committee Member), Paramount Bed Holdings Co., Ltd. (Current)

March 2022: Outside Director, SODICK Co., Ltd. (Current)

June 2022: Representative Director, Japan Society of Assistive Technologies (Chairman) (Until June 2024)

Background of Appointment as Advisor

As a certified innovation support organization, Planbase Inc. has been engaged in management consulting, primarily supporting subsidy applications and system utilization for SMEs, as well as developing and operating a platform for SME support utilizing generative AI. To date, we have supported over 1,500 subsidy applications, achieving a cumulative adoption record of over 20 billion yen.

In recent years, public support, including subsidies, has significantly shifted from traditional "relief" to "growth investment as national policy," becoming an important policy tool to promote capital investment and DX for SMEs. Through alliances with major manufacturers and trading companies, Planbase is expanding its initiatives to support capital investment and business growth for manufacturing SMEs.

Against this backdrop, we have appointed Yoshikazu Goto as an external advisor. Mr. Goto has held key positions in areas directly related to our core business, such as SME policy (Director of Technology Division, SME Agency), manufacturing industry policy (Vice Minister of Manufacturing Industries Bureau), and industrial technology/standardization administration, and possesses extensive knowledge from both public and private sectors.

Mr. Goto is well-versed in the realities of manufacturing sites and capital investment by SMEs, and possesses rare expertise that bridges both policy and industry. We expect him to provide valuable advice for enhancing our business operations based on policy trends and further strengthening our support system, with his deep understanding of our business supporting growth investment for SMEs.

Planbase Inc. will continue to incorporate the insights of external experts, strive for appropriate governance and enhanced value, support the challenges of SMEs with technology and expertise, and work to build trusting relationships with all stakeholders.

Comment from Yoshikazu Goto

Outside Director, Yoshikazu Goto

The vitality of SMEs is the foundation supporting Japan's manufacturing and regional economies. The utilization of subsidies and various systems has now evolved beyond mere financial support to become an important policy tool that promotes growth investment and DX for SMEs. Planbase's initiatives, as a venture originating from The University of Tokyo, to support SME business plan creation and system utilization through the power of technology, deeply align with the objectives of such policies. Leveraging my experience in government and industry, I will contribute to the sound growth of the company and the revitalization of the Japanese economy starting with SMEs.

Yoshikazu Goto

Comment from Takashi Mui, Representative Director

Takashi Mui

Representative Director, Takashi Mui

Planbase Inc. has supported capital investment and business growth for mid-sized and small/medium-sized enterprises, starting with subsidy application support. Throughout this process, we have strongly felt that the essence lies not in the utilization of systems itself, but in solving management challenges and achieving changes on the ground that lie beyond it. In recent years, public support, including subsidies, has shifted its role from traditional "relief" to "growth investment as national policy," becoming an important means to promote capital investment, labor saving, and DX for SMEs, particularly in manufacturing. On the other hand, the increasing complexity of systems and the accurate grasp of policy trends are becoming even more important themes for us as supporters. Mr. Goto has been at the forefront of government administration in areas closely related to our business, such as Director of the Technology Division at the SME Agency and Vice Minister of the Manufacturing Industries Bureau, and currently serves as an outside director of SODICK Co., Ltd. His expertise, which encompasses both policy and industry, will bring invaluable value in further evolving our commitment to "support that functions on the ground and leads to results, rather than being tool-driven." With Mr. Goto's advice, we will further strengthen both subsidy support and DX support, deepen collaboration with financial institutions, tax accountants, and manufacturers, and contribute to the sustainable growth of mid-sized and small/medium-sized enterprises and the improvement of Japan's overall competitiveness.

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About Planbase Inc.

Planbase Inc. is a consulting company originating from The University of Tokyo that develops and operates a consulting business providing subsidy application support and management support for SMEs, as well as a platform (AI tool) for SME support. As a certified innovation support organization, we have supported over 1,500 subsidy applications to date, with a cumulative adoption record of over 20 billion yen. The company has multiple in-house specialists, including certified public management consultants and administrative scriveners, who handle a wide range of management issues.

Company Name: Planbase Inc.

Representative: Takashi Mui, Representative Director

Headquarters Location: 6F, The Portal Iwamotocho, 2-8-8 Iwamotocho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Nagoya Office: 11F, Dai Nagoya Building, 3-28-12 Meieki, Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Aichi

Osaka Office: 6F, Shin Osaka Doi Building, 1-8-24 Nishimiyahara, Yodogawa-ku, Osaka

Sendai Office: 5F, Sendaikan, 2-2-10 Chuo, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi

URL: https://planbase.co.jp/