Special Guests TYPICA GUIDE Special Nominators

Special Nominators consist of coffee producers, roasters, and coffee lovers in various fields from around the world.
They also cast their vote during the Final Round.

• Business

  

  Tsunekazu Ishihara

  President & CEO of The Pokémon Company

  Tsunekazu Ishihara is a game producer and creator, as well as the founder of Creatures Inc. and the Chairman of the POKÉMON with YOU Foundation. His career in the gaming industry began with the production of “Pokémon Red & Green” in 1996, marking the start of his ongoing involvement in the creation of every Pokémon video game title to date. Currently serving at The Pokémon Company as the President and CEO, Mr. Ishihara oversees the production and brand management of a diverse portfolio, including video games, card games, multimedia content, and applications.
  
  Awards:
  -13th Multimedia Grand Prix 1998: MMCA Special Award
  -13th AMD Award: Meritorious Service Award
  -CEDEC AWARDS 2011: Special Award
  -Japan Game Awards 2011: Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award
  -Japan Innovator Award 2016: Soft Power Award
  -The Japan Game Awards 2017: Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award (Pokémon GO)
  -2019 Institute of Environmental Art and Design: Institute Grand Prize
• Environment

  

  Akira Sakano

  Representative Director of Zero Waste Japan
  Director/Co-representative of Green innovation
  Director & Chief Sustainability Officer of ECOMMIT

  Akira Sakano, formerly at the helm of the nonprofit Zero Waste Academy, played a pivotal role in shaping the waste management policies of Kamikatsu Town in southwestern Japan, a small village that made the first Zero Waste Declaration in Japan. Her efforts have significantly advanced waste reduction initiatives both within Japan and on the global stage. Her leadership extended to co-chairing the 2019 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, commonly known as the Davos Meeting. Since 2020, she has been instrumental in developing a blueprint for a circular society through Zero Waste Japan. In 2021, she launched the Green Innovator Academy, an initiative aimed at nurturing leaders capable of driving societal change towards decarbonization. Her commitment to sustainability led to her appointment as Chief Sustainability Officer at ECOMMIT in 2023.
• Media

  

  Hiromi Sogo

  Editor-in-Chief at Hearst Fujingaho
  Specially Appointed Professor at Shinshu University

  Hiromi Sogo embarked on her career with Fujingaho (currently known as Hearst Fujingaho) in 1986, assuming the role of editor-in-chief for both “mc Sister” and “25ans” before leaving the company in 1999. She played a pivotal role in launching “Vogue Nippon” (now “Vogue Japan”) and made a return to “25ans” as its editor-in-chief in 2006. She also led the creation of “Richesse” in 2012, where she continues to serve as editor-in-chief. By 2016, she had ascended to the position of Editorial Director within the Luxury Media Group.
  Throughout her career, she has been a steadfast advocate for charity, spearheading book series and annual events that foster reader participation in philanthropy, and promoting the sense of joy derived from contributing to charitable causes. Since 2023, she has served as Head of Editorial Content of Richesse & Esquire’s The Big Black Book, in tandem with her role as a specially appointed professor at Shinshu University. In January 2024, she established Office H.SOGOH.
• Public entertainment

  

  Ai Takahashi

  Actor, Model

  A native of Fukui, central Japan, Ai Takahashi is best known for her ten-year tenure with the iconic idol group Morning Musume, where she rose to become the sixth leader and also led the Hello! Project. After leaving the group, she transitioned into acting, gracing stages in musicals, theater, and dramas. Beyond acting, Ms. Takahashi has carved out a successful career in modeling, frequently appearing in fashion and beauty magazines. She continues to broaden her creative endeavors, collaborating with fashion brands to produce items that showcase her distinctive style and even launching her own brand. Since 2011, she has served as the Fukui Brand Ambassador, promoting her hometown.
• Fashion

  

  Kanako Sakai

  Designer and CEO of KANAKO SAKAI

  Kanako Sakai honed her skills with designer brands across New York and Japan before going independent. She launched her namesake brand KANAKO SAKAI in the Spring/Summer 2022 season. Her collections uniquely reinterpret and reconstruct traditional Japanese artisanal techniques while aiming to honor heritage and advance culture. She received the esteemed JFW NEXT BRAND AWARD in 2023, which she celebrated with her debut runway show in Tokyo.
• Coffee

  

  Teresa Costa

  Co-founder of The Coffee Quest Brasil

  Drawing on her expertise gained at the Brazil Specialty Coffee Association, Teresa Costa, alongside her husband Gabriel, co-founded The Coffee Quest Brasil in 2019. In her multifaceted role as manager, Chief Financial Officer, and Q Grader, she is at the forefront of quality control and fostering relationships with producers. While initially concentrating on exporting to European and American markets, she has, in the last two years, expanded her horizons by partnering with TYPICA. Through this collaboration, she has successfully conducted two offerings in Japan, steadily increasing her fan base.
• Coffee

  

  Ayane Yamada

  Co-founder of TYPICA

  Yamada is a co-founder of TYPICA. She is in charge of communication with coffee producers and quality control. After falling in love with coffee when she was a university student, she aspired to work closely with coffee origins. She co-founded TYPICA after accumulating experience as a roaster and working at a coffee start-up.
  Recipient of Forbes JAPAN’s “Top 20 Entrepreneurs in Japan” in 2023.

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