Coordinator
Shoichi Ando

Nationality: Japanese
Educational Background: Bachelor of Science in Architecture and structural engineering from Tokyo University, Doctoral degree from Tokyo University (engineering)
Professional Experience:
MLIT (Japan), CISMID (Peru), OECD (Paris, France), BRI (Tsukuba), Kitakyushu city government (Fukuoka, Japan), BCJ (Tokyo, Japan)
Areas of Interest: Disaster Mitigation (building and urban context), Urban Development (land use and landscape), Mapping
Hobby: Mountain climbing, Orienteering

Researcher
Yoko Saito

Nationality: Japanese
Educational Background: Master of Disaster Management and Sustainable Development at Northumbria University, UK
Professional Experience: Prior to joining UNCRD, worked for a Japanese NGO for three and half years. Managing disaster relief and rehabilitation projects in Iran, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka.
Areas of Interest: Gender in Disaster, Community Based Disaster Management, Islamic culture, volunteer, Civil society
Hobby: Shopping, Travel

Assistant Researcher
Hayato Nakamura

Nationality: Japanese
Educational Background:Bachelor of Arts (Language and Area Studies), Tokyo University of Foreign Studies; Masters of Laws in International Business Law, Yokohama National University; Masters of Laws in Gender, Sexuality and Human Rights, Keele University,U.K.
Professional Experience:Prior to joining UNCRD, worked for a Japanese NPO on consultancy of disaster management, for Geneva/Tokyo based International Human Rights NGO as an assistant, and for local Women's organisation in India as an international assistant. Contributed to IFRC (International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Society) for organising its World Disasters Report 2007 "focus on Discrimination".
Areas of Interest: Legal implementation of international standards, human rights in natural disasters
Hobby: Cooking, Travel

Administration Personnel
Yuka Yoshikawa

Nationality: Japanese
Educational Background: Bachelor of Arts in English from Osaka International College for Women.
Professional Experience: Prior to joining UNCRD, worked as an interpreter for government and municipal offices.
Hobby: Shopping, Learning sign language