Ishizaka Inc. Signs Comprehensive Cooperation Agreement with Waseda University School of Human Sciences

Ishizaka Inc. and Waseda University’s School of Human Sciences entered into a Comprehensive Cooperation Agreement on Friday, May 15, 2026.

This agreement aims for both parties to cooperate mutually in fields where collaboration and cooperation are possible, including educational activities, research activities, and international academic and cultural exchange, thereby contributing to human resource development and the formation of a sustainable society.

Specifically, Ishizaka Inc. will provide its facilities and natural environments, such as satoyama, as practical training grounds for students in research and education programs, and events. Through this, the initiative goes beyond corporate regional support and creates an example in which the region itself becomes business. Waseda University, making use of its academic expertise, will conduct joint activities and research, as well as exchange information on initiatives such as nature symbiosis sites. Through collaboration that utilizes the resources of both parties, the aim is to promote human resource development while achieving environmental conservation and creation, as well as the realization of a sustainable society.

Collaboration Areas
1. Matters related to environmental conservation and creation, and the formation of a sustainable society
2. Matters related to the development of local communities and social inclusion
3. Matters related to social welfare and the improvement of health and well-being
4. Matters related to the development of education and research, and the creation of practical learning opportunities
5. Matters related to human resource development
6. Matters related to tourism and industrial promotion, as well as the creation and dissemination of culture
7. Other matters deemed necessary by both parties

Signing Ceremony
Date: Friday, May 15, 2026, 14:00 – 15:00
Venue: Ishizaka Inc.
Attendees:
Atsushi Ogihara, Dean, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University
Noriko Ishizaka, President, Ishizaka Inc.
others

Dean’s Comment – Atsushi Ogihara

At the School of Human Sciences, we place “enabling people to live more spiritually enriched, healthier, and happier lives” at the center of our academic mission. We are engaged in interdisciplinary education and research that transcends the boundaries between the humanities and sciences, covering topics ranging from the genetic level to global environmental issues. Education and research are two sides of the same coin, playing a vital role in fostering human talent. In this sense, Ishizaka Inc. practical efforts ranging from biodiversity conservation to environmental education and sustainable agriculture — which have continuously transformed society from the ground up, serve as a powerful response to the questions we have been pursuing academically.
Through this collaboration, I am delighted that the faculty members, researchers, undergraduate and graduate students of this academic division will have the opportunity to learn at Ishizaka Inc.’s sites, including “Santome Konjakumura.”
I am confident that the experiences and questions that cannot be gained in the classroom will nurture the next generation of researchers and practitioners.

President’s Comment – Noriko Ishizaka

Recently, our company received the first certification under the Act on Sophistication of Recycling Businesses, recognizing us as a “resource circulation business” that transcends the traditional framework of waste disposal. We believe that fostering resource circulation in the society of the future requires reexamining the very nature of the relationships between people and nature, people and society, and people and their local communities. With this in mind, we aim to open our factories and satoyama as living learning environments where people can “learn by experiencing” the cycle firsthand.
With this agreement as a starting point, we would be delighted if this partnership becomes a place where we can work together to realize a new vision for society, drawing on the fresh perspectives, values, and insights in human sciences that you, the students, bring to the table.
There is no single, definitive answer to the theme we champion: “Live in Harmony with Nature.”
That is precisely why there is great value in engaging in dialogue with people from diverse backgrounds and exploring its meaning together. We hope this will be a meaningful opportunity that leads to new insights and inspiration for both the students and our employees.