Seminars & Stage Events

XR Artist

Aimi Sekiguchi

Since 2016, she has been active as an artist creating 3D paintings in virtual reality. She has received commissions for artworks and live performances from 13 countries worldwide, and her solo exhibitions held in the metaverse have attracted visitors from across the globe. Her work was selected for the VR section of the Venice International Film Festival, and her first NFT artwork drew major attention when it sold for approximately 13 million yen. In 2021, she was named one of the “Forbes Japan 100,” and she is currently expanding her activities as a Dubai government-certified artist.

imgee Inc. / Cyber Namu Namu
Representative
Madoka Kohno

3They create immersive and interactive works using 3D city models and spatial data, and have presented performances and talks at events in Japan and abroad, including the University of Southern California and SXSW. In 2025, they were selected as a “PLATEAU ADVOCATE” by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, exploring the possibilities of urban data representation while proposing experiences at the intersection of art and technology. With the theme “Connecting Time, Space, and the Human Mind through Tech Art,” they deliver Japan-born expressions to audiences around the world.

AI Frog Interactive Inc. Representative
Professor, Digital Hollywood University Graduate School
Kiyoshi Shin

Born in 1970, they began their career as a game journalist and are now developing a craft-style survival game titled “Exelio”, scheduled for release in 2026, using generative AI. They currently write the column “Kiyoshi Shin’s Metaverse Presence” for ASCII, and have published numerous explanatory articles related to generative AI. They also serve as Chair of the AI Content Working Group of the XR Consortium.

Zooper Zoos LLC
Representative
Ryo Nakajima

In 2024, their feature film Who Said Death Is Beautiful was selected for the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. They have directed seven feature-length films, including The Master of Summer Vacation, and are exploring filmmaking that transcends the boundaries between live action and animation through the use of AI.

Gaumapix Inc.
CEO
Hiroki Yamaguchi

They have directed live-action films such as Gusha no Binzume and Bloody Chainsaw Girl. Their AI film IMPROVEMENT CYCLE was selected for festivals including the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in 2024. In addition to the theatrically released AI film Grandma Revit, they have also worked on music videos and other projects utilizing AI.

KaKaCreation Inc.
CCO
Naomichi Iizuka

In 2016, they joined CyberAgent, Inc., serving as a game program producer for ABEMA. From 2018, they worked at Production I.G, holding roles as a Line Producer and CG Producer. In 2024, they were appointed Chief Creative Officer (CCO) of KaKaCreation. Since then, they have been active at the forefront of AI-driven animation production, including work on the TV anime “Twins HinaHima.”

Frontier Works Inc.
Visual Business Division
Norihiro Kurosawa

After graduating, they began their career at a local agricultural cooperative, then joined Frontier Works Inc. in 2009. Since then, they have been involved in videogram product production and anime production. As a producer, they have worked on anime titles such as Chivalry of a Failed Knight, Hetalia World★Stars, The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic, and Twins HinaHima.

Haruo Chikada

Born in Tokyo in 1951, they began piano lessons at the age of three and, while studying at Keio University, performed as a keyboardist in Yuya Uchida’s backing band. In 1972, they formed Haruo Chikada & Haruophon, and in 1978 gained widespread attention with the cover album Den-Geki-Teki Tokyo, which reimagined kayōkyoku (Japanese pop songs) in a rock style. In 1985, they launched the hip-hop label “BPM” and began performing as a rapper under the name President BPM. They have also produced numerous commercial songs, releasing over 1,000 tracks to date. Beyond music, their wide-ranging activities include writing the column “THE Kayōkyoku” for POPEYE magazine, the long-running series “Haruo Chikada Thinks About Hits” for Weekly Bunshun, and appearances on television programs such as Tamori Club. They have consistently released albums and actively participated in a variety of events. In 2021, marking 50 years of musical activity and their 70th birthday, they hosted the event “B.P.M. Syndicate” at Shinkiba ageHa.

Naruyoshi Kikucchi

Born in 1963, they are a musician, writer, and university lecturer. As a musician, they work across songwriting, arranging, band leading, and production, and are active as a saxophonist, singer, keyboardist, and rapper. As a writer, they are an essayist and critic, and have also composed extensively for film and television soundtracks. They lead projects including Naruyoshi Kikuchi and Pepertrum Ascalar, Radical Will Styles, and the Naruyoshi Kikuchi Quintet. In 2021, together with their students, they founded the guild “New Music Production Workshop.” They have composed the music for the TV drama “Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan”, the feature film “Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan: At the Louvre” (2023), and “Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan: Confessional Room” (2025). In August 2025, they released the first album under the New Music Production Workshop name, “Food for the Children of the Future,” on the Bureau Kikuchi label.

Board Member, Japan DJ & Dance Music Association
Naz Chris

A DJ, MC, and media producer. As a DJ, they have performed in eight cities worldwide, earning acclaim for appearances at iconic venues and events such as VOGUE FASHION’S NIGHT OUT, Blue Note Tokyo, Technics Sound Trailer, Yoyogi National Gymnasium, and international luxury hotels. They are the founder of “TOKYO DANCE MUSIC WEEK”, a navigator for J-WAVE’s “TOKYO M.A.A.D SPIN ‘Z’”, a member of the Japan Performing Arts Foundation, and a board member of the Japan DJ & Dance Music Association (JDDA).

Metaverse Japan Representative Director
Xinobi AI Inc. Co-CEO
Kuniyoshi Mabuchi

•2009: Appointed General Manager of Tribal DDB Tokyo, Omnicom’s digital agency
•2017: Appointed Executive Advisor at PwC Consulting LLC
•2018: Appointed Director (Executive Officer) at Facebook Japan (Meta)
•2020: Became Partner and Executive Officer at PwC Consulting LLC
•2024: Became Partner and Executive Officer at Deloitte Tohmatsu Consulting LLC

FIELD MANAGEMENT STRATEGY Inc.
Principal
Yusuke Sakurai

After working at Rakuten, Deloitte, and BCG, they assumed their current position. As a strategy consultant specializing in technology, they have engaged in consulting across a wide range of industries. At BCG, they led internal initiatives related to metaverse and Web3, helped establish BCG Henderson Institute Japan, the firm’s think tank, and contributed to report authorship. They are also a co-author of BCG Digital Paradigm Shift.

d-strategy, inc. CEO
Third Ecosystem,inc CEO
Tokyo International University Institute of Data Science – Specially Appointed Associate Professor
Masato Komiya

They founded and manage two companies: d-strategy, inc., which provides corporate strategy and DX/AI support, and Third Ecosystem, inc., a platform connecting domestic and international startup ecosystems. In parallel, they also serve as a university faculty member, contributing to education. Their recent publications include Generative DX: New Business Models Created by Generative AI, The Meta-Industry Revolution: How Business Changes with the Metaverse × Digital Twins, Manufacturing Platform Strategy, and Japan-Style Platform Business, among others.

COMMONGROUND Inc.
CEO
Tomohide Yuasa

They joined Obayashi Corporation in 2010, working as a site supervisor on large-scale civil engineering projects. From 2016 to 2018, they earned an MBA at Macquarie University in Australia. Between 2019 and 2021, they served as a collaborative researcher at the University of Tokyo, engaging in the research and development of digital twins. From 2022 to 2025, they led initiatives in construction DX and digital twin development. In spring 2025, they founded COMMONGROUND Inc., where they serve as Representative Director and CEO.

SenseDrive Inc. President & CEO
Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere, Kyoto University Adjunct Lecturer
Rinkai Research Institute Co., Ltd. Vice President
Japan Society for Research and Innovation Representative, “Science of Standardization” Research Forum
Yuto Nakagami

They worked at NEDO, focusing on innovation strategy development, and later established a strategy consulting business at a patent attorney firm, engaging in areas ranging from regulatory and rule-making strategies to ISO standard formulation. They also conducted innovation research at Kyoto University. After founding SenseDrive, they have been developing work-experience programs aimed at creating environments where people can discover what they truly want to pursue, while exploring the use of the metaverse. Their areas of expertise include innovation, roadmapping, and workshop design and facilitation.

unerry Inc.
Smart City Business Development Manager
eichi Kosaka

At Seibu Holdings, they led DX and marketing strategy development, group-wide data utilization, and initiatives to enhance the value of railway corridor areas, including MaaS and urban development. In 2023, they joined unerry, where they have driven numerous projects to address regional challenges using mobility data. Since 2025, they have served as Project Leader for the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s Startup Support Program for the Utilization of Next-Generation Communication Technologies.

Pirika Inc.
Director / Head of Services Division
Takayuki Murakoshi

After working at U.S. companies such as Google and Salesforce, as well as startups, they joined Pirika in 2019. As Director and Head of the Services Division, they oversee the marketing, sales, and customer success teams for Pirika’s services.

KADOKAWA DWANGO Educational Institute
General Studies Promotion Office
Masahiro Sato

After joining DWANGO as an event director, they were responsible for planning and managing a wide range of events, including Niconico Chokaigi. They later joined Virtual Cast from its launch, working as a director on the planning and development of virtual education systems. Currently, they also serve in the General Studies Promotion Office at KADOKAWA DWANGO Educational Institute, where they lead technology-driven learning initiatives—striving to deliver a seamless educational experience from content development through operation.

WHITE SCORPION

In addition to real-world activities such as live performances and handshake events, WHITE SCORPION also engages in virtual activities leveraging Web3.0 technologies like the metaverse and NFTs. The group’s name reflects the wish that they embody purity and sincerity (WHITE) while also possessing strength (SCORPION).

Zeebra

HIPHOP ACTIVIST
RAPPER / DJ / PRODUCER
Station Director of WREP / Shibuya Ward Tourism Ambassador / Board Member, Japan DJ & Dance Music Association (JDDA)
A hip-hop activist representing Tokyo, known as a Japanese artist who turns the impossible into possible. With an insatiable curiosity and the drive to constantly pursue the next level, their strong presence has earned support from multiple generations. In 1995, they released “Chikara Kara no Sora” with King Giddra, followed by a solo major debut in 1997 with “Mahiru-ma” under the name Zeebra. Starting with the first album “THE RHYME ANIMAL,” they have released a total of eight original albums to date. In 2013, they founded the Association to Protect Clubs and Club Culture, serving as its first president and making a significant contribution to the enactment of the revised Entertainment Business Act (effective June 23, 2016). In recognition of these efforts, they were appointed Shibuya Ward Tourism Ambassador (Night Ambassador) by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s Shibuya Ward, working in collaboration with the ward to promote the night economy and night culture.

☆Taku Takahashi （m-flo, block.fm）

A DJ and music producer. In 1998, they formed m-flo with VERBAL and LISA.
As a solo artist and producer, they have worked extensively on production and remixes for numerous Japanese and international artists, including Hikaru Utada, BE:FIRST, NEWS, Crystal Kay, and eill. They also run the music media platform block.fm.
http://twitter.com/takudj
https://instagram.com/takudj
https://spotify.link/yryIBoVl2Db
http://block.fm/
https://m-flo.com/

Keiichiro Shibuya

A composer and musician, they graduated from the Department of Composition at Tokyo University of the Arts. Their work spans a wide range of forms—from cutting-edge electronic music and piano solos to opera, film music, and sound installations—and they are active between Tokyo and Paris. In 2012, they premiered the humanless Vocaloid opera THE END, which began at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris and toured internationally. In 2018, they presented the android opera Scary Beauty across Japan, Europe, and the Middle East. In 2021, they composed the opera Super Angels as a newly commissioned production for the New National Theatre, Tokyo, performing with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra. From 2022 onward, the android opera MIRROR was staged at venues including the Dubai Expo and the Théâtre du Châtelet, followed by a triumphant Tokyo performance in 2024. In 2025, they presented the solo concert MIRROR Ghost at the Grand Palais in Paris. They have also composed music for numerous films, receiving the Music Award at the 75th Mainichi Film Awards and the Film Music Award at the 30th Japan Film Critics Awards for Midnight Swan. A large-scale new theatrical work is scheduled for release in 2027. Through their works, they continuously explore and question the boundaries between life and death, technology and humanity.
https://atak.jp/

DJ WATARAI

They developed an interest in scratching during junior high school and began working as a DJ at clubs in Shibuya and Roppongi around 1991. Around 1995, they started producing music, working primarily on projects with artists such as MURO, NITRO MICROPHONE UNDERGROUND, and RHYMESTER, while also providing songs for R&B artists including MISIA and AI. They are currently in their 29th consecutive year as a resident DJ at CLUB HARLEM in Shibuya.

Representative Director, Japan DJ & Dance Music Association
Watusi

An arranger, programmer, and bassist for COLDFEET. COLDFEET’s unique musical world has been highly acclaimed both in Japan and internationally, with numerous releases across countries worldwide. In Japan, they have worked on many singles for artists such as Mika Nakashima, as well as hiro and Namie Amuro, and are also active as part of a production team that bridges the underground and mainstream music scenes.
https://www.coldfeet.net/

Board Member, Japan DJ & Dance Music Association
Naz Chris

A DJ, MC, and media producer. As a DJ, they have performed in eight cities worldwide, earning acclaim for appearances at iconic venues and events such as VOGUE FASHION’S NIGHT OUT, Blue Note Tokyo, Technics Sound Trailer, Yoyogi National Gymnasium, and international luxury hotels. They are the founder of “TOKYO DANCE MUSIC WEEK”, a navigator for J-WAVE’s “TOKYO M.A.A.D SPIN ‘Z’”, a member of the Japan Performing Arts Foundation, and a board member of the Japan DJ & Dance Music Association (JDDA).

Game Streamer

Pocky

They are active as a game streamer, particularly known for their love of indie games. They have served as the official ambassador for indie games at TGS (Tokyo Game Show) for four consecutive years, streaming a wide range of genres from horror to comedy. They also produce live-action videos. This year marks the 12th anniversary of their YouTube career, with their channel surpassing 3.75 million subscribers. They continue their activities every day with the goal of delivering fun and enjoyment to their audience.
Pocky YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@pockysweets

Ren

An influencer with over 100,000 followers across social media platforms. A friend of Pocky since high school, they first appeared on the Pocky channel in November 2015. Since then, they have regularly appeared in Pocky’s videos and supported filming, while also engaging with fans through their own channels on YouTube, X, and Twitch. They are a trusted confidant and Pocky’s greatest supporter.
Ren (X)
hhttps://x.com/ren_steam

Meta Osaka Inc.
Chair of the Children’s Expo Executive Committee
Mari Tezuka

After working as an emergency nurse at a university hospital, they were involved in the launch of a major cosmetic clinic and served as a school nurse at an international school before becoming independent. In 2022, inspired by 128 dreams from 12 children, they launched the “Children’s Expo.” In 2025, the initiative attracted approximately 24,000 visitors at the Osaka–Kansai Expo, and they also rolled out the “Hyogo Children’s Expo” under commission from Hyogo Prefecture. They continue to expand collaborations with local governments and companies.

Meta Osaka Inc.
CEO
Hideaki Mouri

After graduating from university, they worked in the financial and real estate industries before becoming independent in 2009 and founding Links Inc., a real estate sales company.In 2023, they established Meta Osaka Inc.With the vision of “Making Osaka the most exciting city in the world,” they serve as the organizer of the “Metaverse, XR & AI Awards” and “Children’s Expo: Opening the Door to the Future” at EXPO 2025 Osaka–Kansai.

Representative Director, Metaverse Japan (General Incorporated Association)
Director & Secretary General, Shibuya Future Design (General Incorporated Association)
Shinko Osada

After serving as Head of Public Relations at AT&T and Nokia, they joined Red Bull Japan in 2007. Following their departure in 2017, they became Director and Secretary General of Shibuya Future Design, a general incorporated association established in Shibuya Ward, starting in 2018. In the same year, they founded NEW KIDS Inc. and are actively involved as Representative Director of Metaverse Japan, Board Member of the Japan DanceSport Federation, and Board Member of the Marketer Career Association, among other roles.