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ABOUT
UMITO Partners

VISION :

Envisioning sustainable
and equitable ocean economy with fishing communities

UMITO Partners Inc., is a team of passionate professionals that work hand-in-hand with fisheries and fishery communities in partnership with a diverse network of like minded stakeholders to grand design equitability and sustainability solutions that tackle not only environmental issues but also social and economic challenges that exist in fishery communities.

Socio-economic and enviromental challenges are critical themes for fishery communities to maintain sustainability but they often have little access to the support they need. As such, they have had no other choice but to operate their fishery without being able to solve their fundamental challenges.

Our approach starts with listening carefully about their needs and identifying gaps that exist for sustainability improvements in enviromental, economic, and social elements.

As embedded in our name UMITO (Umi-toh) meaning "with the ocean" in Japanese, by parterning with fishers as well as diverse group of stakeholders that share a common vision for a sustainable and equitable ocean economy, we co-design solutions toward a future where both people and the ocean can thrive in harmony.

OUR TEAM

  • Shunji Murakami

    Shunji Murakami

    CEO & Founder

    Shunji graduated from San Francisco State University majoring in business and geography focusing on river restoration and salmon habitat assessment. After returning to Japan, he spent years at Patagonia Japan, as well as US based NGO, Wild Salmon Center as Japan program coordinator, and Ocean Outcomes as Japan Program Director until 2018, working with fishing communities and suppliers on fishery improvement projects. In 2018, Shunji joined Seafood Legacy as Vice President/COO, and as of 2021, Shunji launched UMITO Partners Inc., working hand-in-hand with fisheries and fishing communities in partnership with chefs, business, financial sectors to help them become more sustainable, and help the government design equitable policies in inclusive ways connecting with voice and realities on the ground.

    • Asia Pacific FIP Community of Practice Council Member
    • Fisheryprogress.org Advisory Committee Member
    • Japan Fishery Agency Aquaculture Growth Industrialization Promotion Council Member
  • Satoshi Fukuyama

    Satoshi Fukuyama

    Science and Research Analytics

    Ph. D in Biosciences Resources.
    Satoshi was born and raised in Kanagawa near the "Shonan". His major is marine phytoplankton in relation to phisico-chemical properties and planctonic food webstructure. After got Ph. D, he worked at FRA (Nagasaki Joint Government Office) as a postdoctoral researcher, and private environmental assessment firm. He cultivated his experience as a researcher and a human being working in the field. Now at UMITO Partners, from both a scientist's and field perspective, he supports ocean and fishermen using his expertise through the project.

  • Mao Mori

    Mao Mori

    Science and Research Analytics

    PhD in Antarctic Science.
    Mao was born and raised in Tokyo. After guraduating from Tokyo University of Science with a bachelor degree of civil engineering, she decided to study overseas and completed a Doctor of Philosophy program in Quantitative Antarctic Science with Graduate Diploma of Marine and Antarctic Science at University of Tasmania in Australia. She worked as a posdoc at the ACECRC in the same university at the same time of the completion of PhD program and then, conducted a new research as the JSPS reserch fellow at Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology in Japan. She was impressed by the vision of UMITO Partners and its challenging sprits and now, she supports UMITO`s mission using her scientific background.

  • Louie Okamoto

    Louie Okamoto

    Fishery Engagement & Business Development

    Born and raised in Los Angeles, Louie obtained his Bachelors of Science degree in Earth Systems, Science & Policy with an emphasis in Marine and Coastal Ecology at California State University, Monterey Bay. While working as a STEM educator and academic and career counselor for first-generation college bound students, he also served as a naturalist and sustainable seafood guide at Monterey Bay Aquarium. Louie moved to Japan in 2016 to join Ocean Outcomes where he supported the development and implementation of Japan's first FIPs and AIPs. At UMITO Partners, Louie is responsible for engaging with fisheries and market stakeholders to advance sustainability efforts of fisheries and its communities.

  • Ai Iwamoto

    Ai Iwamoto

    Fishery Engagement & Business Development

    Born in Saitama. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in International Relations from the University of Tsukuba. She has wide career experience including working in the financial industry and IT for seven years and five years for Japanese Olympic Committee in international relations. She shifted her focus to sustainability issues in 2019. After working as a CSR/ESG consultant, she joined the United Nations University where she studied sustainable coastal management and gained Master’s Degree in Sustainability Science. She is currently working with local fishers to regenerate damaged marine ecosystem. She joined UMITO Partners in 2022.

  • Ryoko Furusawa

    Ryoko Furusawa

    Public Relations Department

    Born in Tokyo. She obtained a master's degree in tidal flat ecology at the Kagoshima University Graduate School of Fisheries. At the Japane Fisheries Information Center she was in charge of sardine and mackerel species and was engaged in summarizing fishing sea conditions, provided briefing sessions for fishermen, collected data used for stock assessments and managed databases. She joined UMITO Partners in November 2022 and is is charge of public relations in order to further convey the appeal of marine products and fisheries.

  • Kazumi Fujii

    Kazumi Fujii

    Organizational Development & Back Office

    Born in Miyagi Prefecture. She graduated from Yokohama National University, Faculty of Education and Human Sciences, Earth and Ecology Course.While working at a food trading company, she participated in a women's empowerment project through dialogue at a postnatal care NPO and gained a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach license in 2017.After working at Seafood Legacy, she was involved in the establishment of UMITO Partners and is in charge of organizational development and back office work .

OUTLINE

Company Name UMITO Partners Inc.
Location co-lab Shibuya Cast 1-2F, 1-23-21 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0002, Japan
CEO Shunji Murakami
Founded June 1, 2021
Capital Stock 2 Million Yen
Our Business MSC/ASC Certification Consultation
Sustainable Communities Consultation
Sustainable Finance Consultation
Sustainable Business Developement Consultation
Sustainable Platform Building
14 海の豊かさを守ろう

CONTACT

Please feel free to contact us
If you want to know more about our work in Japan