The Research Institute for Advanced Innovation and GeoStrategy (RAIS)
About RAIS
The Research Institute for Advanced Innovation and GeoStrategy (RAIS) is an interdisciplinary research institute dedicated to cross-disciplinary research and policy advocacy at the intersection of advanced technology and national security. Bringing together experts in international relations and security alongside specialists in AI, data science, engineering, law, and economics, RAIS works to build a “security innovation ecosystem” that strengthens Japan’s national security strategy and energizes its defense industry.
The security landscape is changing at an unprecedented pace. Intensifying global competition over AI, quantum computing, and biotechnology — combined with rapid shifts in the international order surrounding data, semiconductors, critical resources, and talent — have fundamentally altered the environment in which security policy is made. Security today extends far beyond the military domain, encompassing technology, economics, and the information space. Crafting and implementing a security strategy that encompasses this multi-dimensional reality has become an imperative.
RAIS addresses this challenge by placing technology-driven security research at the core of its mission — moving beyond the boundaries of conventional security studies. Drawing on its own networks, RAIS will advance efforts to shape security and defense policy for a new era and to build a security innovation ecosystem in Japan. At the same time, RAIS is deeply invested in cultivating the next generation of researchers and defense industry professionals who can bridge security and emerging technologies, and who are equipped to tackle the complex, cross-domain challenges that define our time.
Organization Structure
Messages
Tomoyuki Furutani
Director, Research Institute for Advanced Innovation and GeoStrategy
The most distinctive feature of RAIS is its truly interdisciplinary approach — bringing together researchers at the frontier of emerging technologies, alongside specialists in international relations and law, to conduct empirical research and develop actionable policy recommendations. This sets us apart from conventional security think tanks. In the field of artificial intelligence, our dedicated team of AI and data science experts enables us to pursue cross-cutting research spanning social media data analysis, satellite imagery interpretation, and the development of AI-driven tools and technologies.
At RAIS, technology-driven security research forms the cornerstone of our mission. We are committed to playing a central role in building Japan’s defense and security innovation ecosystem — advancing collaborative research with government agencies, international partners, and a broad range of private-sector organizations from prime contractors to cutting-edge startups. At the same time, we are deeply invested in cultivating the next generation of researchers who can operate effectively across multiple domains.
We look forward to your continued support of RAIS.
Ken Jimbo
Managing Director (Representative Director), International House of Japan ／President, Asia Pacific Initiative
As emerging technologies such as AI, quantum, space, cyber, and biotechnology become ever more deeply intertwined with national security, they are transforming the very character of conflict and the future of the battlefield. The Research Institute for Advanced Innovation and GeoStrategy (RAIS), newly established by the International House of Japan, has been created to address this new strategic landscape. Moving beyond the traditional boundaries of security and defense studies, RAIS will bring together researchers and practitioners across science, technology, and policy to explore the foundations of security strategy for a new era. By strengthening ties with leading research institutions and policy communities worldwide, RAIS also aims to foster the intellectual foundation and practical network linking government, industry, and academia, while contributing strategic ideas from Japan to the world.
Program Members
Program Coordination Manager
Hayato Kaneda
Since the beginning of his career, Hayato Kaneda has been engaged in new business development and the cultivation of new business leaders for large corporations and local governments. Through entrepreneurship and startup support initiatives, he has been involved in the establishment of over 100 companies and has designed entrepreneurship programs for schools and regional communities.
At Team Energy Co., Ltd., he serves as Group CPO (Chief Produce Officer), overseeing new venture creation, the identification and development of CEO talent, and cross-organizational design.
He is the founder of Shibusawa Eiichi Gaku Inc., which has entered into a comprehensive partnership agreement with the City of Fukaya. Based on Shibusawa Eiichi’s philosophy of the “Unity of Morality and Economy,” he advances research, co-creation initiatives, and social implementation projects.
Since January 2025, he has served as Program Coordination Manager at the International House of Japan, leading the launch, strategic development, and administrative coordination of new programs.
He holds a Master of Project Design (MPD) from the Graduate School of Project Design.
Concurrent Positions
• Representative, Nameless Group
• Representative Director, Shibusawa Eiichi Gaku Inc.
• Policy Advisor on Shibusawa Eiichi Initiatives, City of Fukaya
• Committee Member, “Furusato Fukaya – Shibusawa Studies,” Fukaya City Board of Education
Program Officer
Hiromichi Yaoita
YAOITA Hiromichi is a Program Officer at the Policy Entrepreneur’s Platform, where he has dedicated himself to supporting policy entrepreneurs since November 2025. Prior to that, he was a researcher at the Consulate-General of Japan in Boston, where he was responsible for supporting Japan–US cooperation in science and technology and was engaged in assisting Japanese companies and startups. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Policy Management from Keio University and a Master of Arts in International Relations and Security Studies from the University of Bradford.
Program Initiatives
RAIS pursues an integrated approach to research, policy advocacy, and industry collaboration at the intersection of advanced technology and national security — with the goal of building a security innovation ecosystem in Japan.
Technology-Driven Security Research
Drawing on an interdisciplinary research framework that brings together diverse expertise spanning AI, data analysis, statistics, engineering, law, and international relations, RAIS advances technology-driven security research. Through empirical analysis of international trends in critical technologies, resources, and talent — as well as quantitative assessment of security dynamics in the information space — RAIS builds policy-relevant knowledge grounded in technological realities, distilling these insights into evidence-based policy recommendations.
Collaborative Research Consortia
RAIS convenes a collaborative research platform with companies, research institutions, and financial organizations, focused on the intersection of emerging technologies and national security. In addition to tracking technology trends, analyzing industrial structures, and advancing joint projects with startups, RAIS facilitates networking and matchmaking among member organizations through study sessions and forums — supporting research and development in security-related technologies and fostering the creation of new industries.
Our Vision
The knowledge generated through these activities will be shared broadly through an international network of think tanks, universities, and government institutions, contributing to policy development in Japan and to global security cooperation. These activities also serve as a practical foundation for cultivating the next generation of researchers and professionals who can thrive across the domains of security and emerging technologies — building the human capital that underpins Japan’s security innovation ecosystem, alongside the networks that connect research, industry, government, and international institutions.
Related Programs
Geoeconomics IHJ Roundtable
IHJ frequently organizes roundtables as part of our mission to “contribute to building a free, open, and sustainable future through intellectual dialogue, policy research, and cultural exchange with a...
Policy Research
Geoeconomics International Conferences (Japan-Korea-US-China)
