[No. 240] Takashi Otani

Thank you for this opportunity to contribute to the Keio University alumni column. After graduating from the Department of Applied Chemistry and completing my Doctoral Programs, I joined Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation (now Mitsubishi Chemical Group Corporation). Following roles at Research Centers and Institutes and a secondment to the Center for Global Commons at The University of Tokyo, I am currently involved in creating collaborations with domestic and international startups within a corporate venture capital organization. For a chemistry graduate, my career might seem fragmented at first glance, but looking back, it feels connected by a single thread: the desire to contribute to "monozukuri" (manufacturing). In this article, I would like to reflect on my career along with several turning points.

Perhaps because I often heard my father, who ran a construction business, talk about his involvement in building various structures, I had a vague desire from a young age to "create something tangible in the future." While I was also interested in architecture, after entering high school, I became attracted to chemistry—the design of the microscopic world. After some hesitation, I chose to enroll in Gakumon 3, where the chemistry-related departments are clustered.

After entering Keio University, I wasn't a particularly outstanding student during my undergraduate years, partly because I was absorbed in sports. However, in my senior year, I was assigned to the laboratory of Professor Kazunobu Toshima (Molecular Life Chemistry), where I discovered the fascination of chemistry and experimentation.

One of the attractions of the Toshima Lab was the environment where we could tackle the boundary between synthetic organic chemistry and biology, with "double major" as a keyword. However, for my own theme, I deliberately requested natural product synthesis because I wanted to first master organic synthesis, which is the foundation of molecular design. Research in natural product synthesis is often compared to mountain climbing and is truly a form of "training"; it wasn't until my second year of my master's program that I published my first paper. I entered the Doctoral Programs feeling anxious about whether I could finish in three years, but with the help of Professor Toshima, Professor Takahashi, and my talented juniors, I managed to achieve the total synthesis of a natural product and receive my degree. The time spent with colleagues—heading to a ramen shop together after experimenting late into the night and everyone treating a member who got good results to extra chashu pork—is a precious memory.

After joining Mitsubishi Chemical, my first assignment was in the pharmaceutical intermediates research department. Having joined the company hoping to create "tangible materials," I initially had mixed feelings. However, I convinced myself that "given my specialization, it makes sense for HR to do this," and decided to commit to it for a while.

The first wall I encountered moving from a university lab to a corporate research center was the very common concept of "cost." I had to design synthesis methods and processes while limited by the available raw materials and types of reactions. After experiencing the frontlines during a year-and-a-half long-term business trip to a plant, I realized how crucial it is to identify risks in advance to ensure safety on-site. Conversely, I began to find it interesting to see how much I could design within these constraints.

A major turning point in my career was my secondment to the Center for Global Commons at The University of Tokyo, which conducts research on sustainability. This came about when the CTO at the time reached out to me just as my plans to study in the United States were thwarted by the impact of COVID-19. Although I had no prior experience in environmental research or operations, I decided to take the plunge, believing that "the trend toward decarbonization could change the very nature of chemical companies."

At the Center for Global Commons, I worked with international research institutions to create proposals and consider specific measures for the conservation of the "Global Commons," which play a vital role in the Earth's environmental systems. It was a field completely different from chemistry, requiring perspectives I had never encountered before—such as economics, behavioral science, policy, and governance. It was a valuable experience to be part of high-level discussions that a researcher at a single company wouldn't normally consider. This has become a major asset in my current work and in thinking about the sustainability of "monozukuri" in the chemical industry.

If I were to describe the work of corporate venture capital in one sentence, it is to provide the company with new options by collaborating with rapidly growing venture companies. The biggest difference from my time as a researcher is the need for a multifaceted perspective—not just making things ourselves, but creating a greater impact on manufacturing by combining our work with new external technologies. The "double major" attitude from my lab days and the experience of "crossing boundaries" through long-term business trips and secondments are being utilized here as well.

In the broad field of the chemical industry, it is not easy to understand the businesses and technologies of diverse startups, but it is purely enjoyable to hear and discuss new business ideas and technologies. Furthermore, being in a place with the speed of challenging entrepreneurs, their healthy ego and confidence, and the excitement permeating the entire industry is always a great stimulus.

Looking back, I feel that my childhood desire to "make something tangible" remains at the root of my work, even as my way of engaging with technology has changed. On the other hand, my approach to manufacturing has expanded in ways I never expected—from R&D to the production site, sustainability, and venture collaboration. Even assignments that differed from my wishes and accidental offers turned out to be important pieces of the puzzle because I faced them with a spirit of jumping over boundaries. If I were to describe my career in one word, that might be it.

Writing this column has made me realize that the spirit of Keio University contains elements of "crossing boundaries" and "connecting" everywhere. I believe my own career has been influenced by this, and perhaps that is the depth of learning at Keio—it goes beyond simply studying a specialized field.

《 Previous Article [No. 239] Tomohiro Tetsumoto (National Institute of Information and Communications Technology)

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