Executive Team
役員紹介
Takenobu Hongo
CEO
In 1985, he joined Aster Industries, Inc., the predecessor of Aster, where he served as General Manager of the Akita Plant and Head Office from 2002. In 2010, he established Aster Co., Ltd. by taking over the building and employees when the company closed its Akita factory. He developed unique technologies such as caulking and snow-melting equipment, which led to the development of the AST coil, the core of the company's business, and built the foundation of Aster. Today, he continues to invent new technologies. He is a man of absolute conviction and cause. Former carpenter. In Fukushima, his hometown, he works hard as a farmer and practices coexistence with nature. He takes care of his health as much as anyone.
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Tohoku Automotive Innovation Creation Conference (Tohoku Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry / 2016 - ongoing)
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Flying Car Standardization Liaison Committee (Mitsubishi Research Institute, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry / 2020)
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Akita Council for Science and Technology (Akita Prefecture/2016- ongoing)
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Akita Automotive Industry Promotion Council (Akita Prefecture / ongoing from FY2020)
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Akita University Round-Table Conference on Continuing Higher Education Projects (Akita University / ongoing from FY2018)
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The preparatory committee for the establishment of the Joint Research Center for Electrification Systems at Akita University (Akita University / FY2020)
Masanobu Izawa
Senior Managing Director ＆ CFO
CPA
Joined Aster in 2017. After graduation from university, he joined Toyota Tsusho Corporation, working in product planning. Later, he decided to become a CPA and passed the second CPA exam in 2000. At ChuoAoyama Audit Corporation and Ernst & Young ShinNihon Audit Corporation, he was in charge of business development and auditing while helping companies go public, and at Bushu Pharmaceuticals Corporation, joined in 2012, he worked on corporate planning, M&A, and financial accounting. He is a key financial player behind Aster. His future goal is to try windsurfing in private.
Yoshio Tanabe
Managing Director & CTO
Joined Aster in 2018. In 2016, he founded a venture company (C-Cube. LLC) and started creating core devices and supporting their commercialization. Under the slogan of "Co-Creation," he is challenging new businesses from Aster. On weekends, he spends his time playing golf and reading.
Ryo Goto
Auditor
Joined Aster in 2020. After completing the Graduate School of Engineering at Tohoku University, he joined Hitachi Metals, Ltd. He worked there for about 40 years, overseeing R&D, marketing, and field operations. He holds a Ph.D. in Engineering and a Professional Engineer (Applied Science) and has held positions such as General Manager of the Division Planning Department, General Manager of the Chubu-Tokai Branch, and General Manager of the Development Center. As an external officer, he has served as President of the Hitachi Metals Materials and Science Foundation, Director of the Japan Fine Ceramics Association, and Director of the Japan Raw Materials Center, Councilor of the Advanced Materials Research Center, Director of the Ultra-High Temperature Materials Research Center, and Vice President of the Hitachi Society of Professional Engineers.
He is dedicated to the industrial development in Akita Prefecture with his toughness. He is a born leader and methodical. He spends weekends exercising, farming, and cooking. He is a referee for track and field.
Mineo Aoki
Factory Manager &
Administrative Manager
Joined Aster in 2018. Previously, he worked for Alps Electric Co., Ltd. for 40 years in the manufacturing engineering and production departments related to component processing in the electronics and automotive components business. He experienced all aspects of manufacturing, including mold design, process design, manufacturing technology, parts processing, and business partner management. When he was assigned to China, he struggled to establish a system and develop human resources for local staff as the general manager of the local parts manufacturing division. After that, he joined ASTER with the enthusiasm of President Hongo. He is the most clean-freak person in the company. In his private life, he and his wife are planning to conquer all hot springs in Japan.
Masahito Nogami
Production Control Manager
Joined Aster in 2018. Worked at Alpine Electronics, Inc. as a manufacturing engineer and process designer for the main unit of in-vehicle equipment from parts processing to finished products. He has been working in the field for 20 years, including 6 and a half years in China, where he was in charge of engineering and product management for the launch and mass production of new and derived products. In addition to his work, he spends his weekends in the great nature of the Tohoku region, enjoying the outdoors to the fullest. His motto is "knowledge of ignorance". His dislike for animals is reptiles.
Toshihiro Arai
Procurement Manager
Joined Aster in 2019. In his former job, he worked for the Sumitomo Corporation Group in six offices, including two overseas offices, and visited more than 20 countries. Through his many overseas experiences, he has acquired human networks and negotiation skills and tries to change the world through manufacturing. His motto is "Join hands with people around the world and coexist with the earth." He is still an active soccer player and runs around the field everyday.
Next Generation
次世代を担う者たち
Yuta Furuya
Technical Director &
R&D Dept GM
After graduating from a high school in Akita, he joined Aster in 2011. After studying machining/metal processing/production technology, he engaged in the design and development of AST coils. In 2017, he became the first and youngest person in the private sector to win the Akita Wakasugi Science and Technology Encouragement Award, the gateway to success for researchers in Akita Prefecture, and has worked as a principal investigator on many national projects. He is 184cm tall, Virgo, type B, and loves festivals. Good sense and a Positive mind are the only strength, and he has a lucky palm.
Kyohei Yanagisawa
Tech Dept Principal Engineer (Motor)
Joined Aster in 2020. Previously, he was engaged in the development and design of main motors for automobiles at Hitachi Automotive Systems (currently Hitachi Astemo). He specializes in electromagnetic field analysis and various types of motor analysis and is in charge of the development of AST motors. He has a wealth of experience in motor development for advanced materials and has contributed to the high performance of AST motors. His motto is "Move forward even if you fail," and he continues to work on the development of high-performance motors today. He has been playing the violin since he was a child, which is useful in evaluating the acoustics of motors.
Masayuki Tsuchida
Treasurer
CPA
Joined Aster in 2019. He decided to become a CPA when he was looking for a job and passed the second round of the CPA exam a year after graduation from university. He joined Ernst & Young ShinNihon LLC (now EY Ernst & Young ShinNihon LLC), where he worked on audits of Japanese listed companies and financial institutions, as well as referral audits of foreign companies, and worked on tax compliance support services at EY Certified Public Tax Accountants before joining Aster. In his first year of high school, he participated in the national rugby tournament in Hanazono, where he was a bench-warmer, but he is an important starting member at Aster and tackles finance, accounting, business planning, and IPO preparation with all his might. Born in Akita Prefecture. His hobby is golf.
Akihiro Tabaru
Sales Manager
Joined Aster in 2018. He has experienced various businesses mainly in Asia and Europe through his work as a system engineer, overseas sales representative for a manufacturer, and in the Sumitomo Corporation Group. He first encountered Aster through the business of permanent magnets, which are used in motors, and found the AST coils and the character of President Hongo highly attractive and potential, and decided to join the company. He is sometimes gentle and sometimes strict. He loves the delicious sake of Yokote and hopes to eventually become a sake sommelier.
Jun Chiba
QA Dept Manager
Joined Aster in 2018. He worked for the former Ministry of International Trade and Industry (now Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry) for 15 years, where he was involved in a wide variety of projects, including analyzing trends in the domestic automotive industry. Since joining Aster, he has been involved in quality assurance and plant management. With a strong sense of mission and a willingness to take on new challenges, he devotes all his energy to evaluating the reliability of motors by keeping his brain in full gear. Born in Akita Prefecture. He is tough and caring as well. On weekends, he enjoys healing his tired body in Akita's hot springs.