Fostering of young women research leaders

To facilitate active participation of female researchers and to promote recruitment of talented female researchers, RIKEN launched the Sechi Kato Program in FY 2018. It aims to develop female researchers who have a broad perspective and inquisitive mind, and who are expected to shine in the international arena as world-class female research leaders. The program name is associated with a pioneering female scientist, Kato Sechi (1893-1989) who, in the field of chemical analysis, contributed to fostering female researchers in Japan, and was the first female Chief Scientist of RIKEN.

Sechi Kato Program for RIKEN ECL Program

The Sechi Kato Program has been extended to the RIKEN ECL Program to offer Team Leader and Unit Leader positions for female researchers.

FY 2025 Call for RIKEN ECL Team / Unit Leaders

RIKEN ECL Team Leader

• 

  Shihori Yokobayashi, Ph.D.
  RIKEN ECL Team Leader

  • RIKEN Pioneering Research Institute
    Epigenome Dynamics RIKEN ECL Research Team
  • RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences
    Epigenome Dynamics RIKEN ECL Research Team
• 

  Chisako Sakuma, Ph.D.
  RIKEN ECL Team Leader

  • RIKEN Pioneering Research Institute
    Metabolic and Behavioral Physiology RIKEN ECL Research Team
  • RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research
    Metabolic and Behavioral Physiology RIKEN ECL Research Team

RIKEN ECL Unit Leader

• 

  Yukako Fujishiro, Ph.D.
  RIKEN ECL Unit Leader

  • RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science
    Extreme Quantum Matter Physics RIKEN ECL Research Unit
  • RIKEN Pioneering Research Institute
    Extreme Quantum Matter Physics RIKEN ECL Research Unit
• 

  Naoko Satoh-Takayama, Ph.D.
  RIKEN ECL Unit Leader

  • RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences
    Precision Immune Regulation RIKEN ECL Research Unit
  • RIKEN Pioneering Research Institute
    Precision Immune Regulation RIKEN ECL Research Unit
• 

  Kei Murata, Ph.D.
  RIKEN ECL Unit Leader

  • RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science
    Molecular Photocatalysis RIKEN ECL Research Unit
  • RIKEN Pioneering Research Institute
    Molecular Photocatalysis RIKEN ECL Research Unit
• 

  Mizue Anda, Ph.D.
  RIKEN ECL Unit Leader

  • RIKEN BioResource Research Center
    Microbial Genomics RIKEN ECL Research Unit (Starting date: October 1, 2025)
  • RIKEN Pioneering Research Institute
    Microbial Genomics RIKEN ECL Research Unit (Starting date: October 1, 2025)
• 

  Rina Tazai, Ph.D.
  RIKEN ECL Unit Leader

  • RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science
    Strong Correlation Quantum Phase RIKEN ECL Research Unit (Starting date: April 1, 2026)
  • RIKEN Pioneering Research Institute
    Strong Correlation Quantum Phase RIKEN ECL Research Unit (Starting date: April 1, 2026)
• 

  Yoko Chiba, Ph.D.
  RIKEN ECL Unit Leader

  • RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science
    Environment-Oriented Metabolism RIKEN ECL Research Unit (Starting date: April 1, 2026)
  • RIKEN Pioneering Research Institute
    Environment-Oriented Metabolism RIKEN ECL Research Unit (Starting date: April 1, 2026)

Sechi Kato Program for RIKEN Hakubi Fellows

The RIKEN Hakubi Program offers Team Leader positions to female researchers who take on the challenge of ambitious research as part of the Sechi Kato Program.

• 

  Asuka Takeishi, Ph.D.
  (From July 2019 – March 2025)
  RIKEN Hakubi Team Leader

  • RIKEN Center for Brain Science
    Neural Circuit of Multisensory Integration RIKEN Hakubi Research Team
  • RIKEN Hakubi Research Teams
    Neural Circuit of Multisensory Integration RIKEN Hakubi Research Team
• 

  Erika Kawakami, Ph.D.
  RIKEN Hakubi Team Leader

  • RIKEN Hakubi Research Teams
    Floating-Electron-Based Quantum Information RIKEN Hakubi Research Team
  • RIKEN Center for Quantum Computing
    Floating-Electron-Based Quantum Information RIKEN Hakubi Research Team