Starlight Engine Co., Ltd. Announces New Executive Structure
Starlight Engine announced a new executive team effective April 1, 2026, appointing Kiyotaka Kikuchi as CEO and Shuhei Azuma as CSO to accelerate the commercialization of fusion energy.
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- 📰 Published: March 30, 2026 at 22:02
- 🔍 Collected: March 30, 2026 at 22:56 (53 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 24, 2026 at 07:01 (584h 5m after Collected)
Starlight Engine Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Starlight Engine) will launch a new executive structure effective April 1, 2026. Under the new structure, Kiyotaka Kikuchi, who served as a Managing Executive Officer at Mitsubishi Corporation, will assume the role of Representative Director, President, and CEO, while Shuhei Azuma, who served two terms as the mayor of Shijonawate City, Osaka Prefecture, will become Executive Vice President and CSO (Chief Strategy Officer). With a team of talent possessing strengths in project execution, strategy formulation, technological integration, and industry-government-academia collaboration, the company will advance initiatives aimed at the early social implementation of fusion energy.
■ New Executive Structure Effective April 1, 2026
- Kiyotaka Kikuchi: Representative Director, President & CEO
- Shuhei Azuma: Executive Vice President & CSO (Chief Strategy Officer)
- Yuto Yoshioka: Executive Officer & COO (Chief Operating Officer)
- Kenzo Ibano: Executive Officer & CTO (Chief Technology Officer)
■ Background and Aims of the New Executive Structure
Fusion energy has the potential to serve not only as a next-generation power source but also as a core industry supporting Japan's energy security, GX (Green Transformation) promotion, and industrial competitiveness. Positioned by the government as one of the strategic areas for 'crisis management investment' and 'growth investment', and with trillion-yen public-private investments anticipated by the Fusion Energy Working Group of the Japan Growth Strategy Council, fusion energy is highly regarded as a core domain of national strategy. Furthermore, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry...
■ New Executive Structure Effective April 1, 2026
- Kiyotaka Kikuchi: Representative Director, President & CEO
- Shuhei Azuma: Executive Vice President & CSO (Chief Strategy Officer)
- Yuto Yoshioka: Executive Officer & COO (Chief Operating Officer)
- Kenzo Ibano: Executive Officer & CTO (Chief Technology Officer)
■ Background and Aims of the New Executive Structure
Fusion energy has the potential to serve not only as a next-generation power source but also as a core industry supporting Japan's energy security, GX (Green Transformation) promotion, and industrial competitiveness. Positioned by the government as one of the strategic areas for 'crisis management investment' and 'growth investment', and with trillion-yen public-private investments anticipated by the Fusion Energy Working Group of the Japan Growth Strategy Council, fusion energy is highly regarded as a core domain of national strategy. Furthermore, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry...