JTB Chairperson Hiromi Tagawa selected for
Keynote Speaker at CEATEC 2019

July 29, 2019

The CEATEC Executive Board – consisting of the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association, the Communications and Information Network Association of Japan, and the Computer Software Association of Japan – has announced that CEATEC 2019 will feature a keynote speech given by Mr. Hiromi Tagawa, Chairperson of JTB, on October 15th, the first day of the event. Mr. Tagawa is scheduled to talk under the theme Tourist invigorating regions. CEATEC 2019 is a comprehensive exhibition of Society 5.0 bringing together innovative CPS/IoT technologies from a wide range of businesses and industries. The exhibition will be held from October 15 (Tuesday) to 18 (Friday) at Makuhari Messe in Mihama-ku, Chiba-city.

CEATEC KEYNOTES in 2018, which garnered huge audiences, has been announced again with enhanced content. As one of the keynotes to be commenced on the first day of the exhibition, Mr. Tagawa will be taking the rostrum as the first business entrepreneur in the history of CEATEC from the travel and tourism industry.

 
In the event of selecting JTB as one of the keynote speakers, Mr. Tagawa commented as follows: “JTB was established in 1912 as an organization to welcome and provide hospitality to overseas visitors to Japan. While the company has been engaged in the travel business for many years, in recent years we have promoted a business strategy as a Destination Management Company, resulting in the significant expansion of our Regional Exchange Business. Today, 107 years after our establishment, we are pursuing further evolution and growth, having defined our business domain as ‘generating value through creative exchanges.’ Utilizing the power of tourism to create meaningful human interaction, I declare to you that the JTB Group will continue to engage in sustainable initiatives that contribute to resolving real-world challenges and foster regional revitalization. I hope that you will follow our ongoing growth and development.”

After graduating from Keio University in 1971, he joined Japan Travel Bureau (currently JTB Corp.). He was assigned to the Beppu Office, where he was involved in general sales activities, including arrangements and services for overseas visitors traveling in Japan. In 1990 he was appointed Planning Section Manager in the Sales Planning Dept., in charge of marketing, company-wide deployment, and advertising. In 1996 he became Kawasaki Office Manager, and in 1999 was appointed the Director & Vice President of JTB International (USA) Inc. He was appointed President and CEO of JTB Corp. in June 2008 and Chairperson of the Board in June 2014. He also serves as Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Japan Association of Travel Agents; Vice Chair of the World Tourism and Travel Council; Vice Chair of Japan Travel and Tourism Association; Vice Chair of Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau; Chairperson of Japan Ecotourism Society; Chairperson of the Long Stay Foundation; Chairperson of the Japan Shopping Tourism Organization; President of the San'in Tourism Organization; and Director of Japan Productivity Center. He also serves as an advisor on tourism-related matters to Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Fukui Prefecture and Tottori Prefecture, among others, and is actively engaged in efforts to vitalize local communities and regions through tourism promotion and development of human resources in the tourism industry. His published works include Kankō Senshinkoku wo Mezashite [Aiming to Become a Tourism-Oriented Nation] (Chuo Keizai Group Publishing) and he has co-authored many other publications.

The keynote speech is a part of CEATEC Keynotes, which is given by business leaders of various industries. Mr. Tagawa’s keynote, which will take place as a conference will be held at one of the convention halls Makuhari Messe’s International Conference Hall from 14:30 (2:30PM) on Tuesday, October 15th. Conferences during CEATEC 2019 including other CEATEC Keynotes can be reserved online starting from August 1, 2019 at the CEATEC Official Website (http://www.ceatec.com/). Details of other Keynotes and conferences will be announced in the future.


CEATEC KEYNOTE

October 15 (Tue.) 13:00 – 13:45 Shinya Katanozaka, President & CEO of ANA HOLDINGS INC.
October 15 (Tue.) 14:45 – 15:30 Hiromi Tagawa, Chairperson of the Board, JTB Corporation

Note: Rest of the keynotes will be announced shortly.

CONFERENCE Reservation