role: Managing Directors

Toshi is a Senior Advisor at Oliver Wyman based out of Tokyo, Japan and has more than 6 years’ industry and consulting experience within aerospace, defense, and national security related government projects.

His work has largely focused on growth and market strategy, capture support for Japanese clients interested in overseas business expansion, non-Japanese clients for entering and expanding business in Japanese market, and has participated in numerous open competitive tenders to serve government clients. Selected experiences include:

•Led The Avascent Group Ltd.’s Japan Operations for more than 5 years, after opening Avascent’s first Tokyo Office in April of 2017.

•More than 50 projects at Avascent, with a unique expertise in global strategy and management consulting mated with local insight into Japan’s ADG markets.

•Prior to joining Avascent, spent 33 years at Mitsubishi Corporation with a focus on strategic and programmatic business development in Japan’s defense and aerospace industrial sector and worked with Group CEO to transform organizational culture to develop new business frontiers for the Machinery Group.

•Outside Director at a Tokyo Stock Exchange listed (Standard) industrial energy focused wholesale company, Fuji Kosan Company Ltd. since 2021.

•Director (Non-Executive) at a general incorporated association, International Security Industry Council of Japan since 2021.

Toshi received a B.A. in Commerce at Hitotsubashi University of Japan, and a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy at the National Defense University at Fort McNair in Washington DC, known as The Eisenhower School.

Simon Chelton is Managing Director of Cheltons Consulting Ltd, a consultancy that has been working since 2012 with UK and Japanese defence companies to help develop collaborative opportunities between the two countries, under the auspices of new government agreements. He visits Japan several times a year and works closely with Japanese government and industry.

Simon spent over 30 years in the Royal Navy as a Logistics Officer in ships and submarines, and served three times in Japan, including attending the National Institute for Defence Studies in 1994/5 and serving in the UK Embassy in Tokyo as Defence Attaché between 2003 and 2007.

On leaving the Navy in 2009, he was Vice President for Corporate and Business Development North East Asia at BAE Systems with a focus on supporting a strategic initiative to work more closely with Japan. He also represented BAE on the UK/Japan 21st Century Group, a bilateral government advisory panel.

Simon is also, since 2013, an Associate Fellow of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) based in London, with a focus on Japanese defence and defence industrial policy.

Major General, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (Ret.)

Professor, College of Risk Management, Nihon University

Major General Yoshitomi retired from Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) in 2015 after 32- year military service as a field artillery officer, intelligence analyst, instructor, and researcher. His major assignments were a Chief of Strategy & Concept Division in GSDF Research and Development Command, a Professor of the National Defense Academy of Japan, a Counsellor of the Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office, and a Commander of the 1st Surface-to-Ship Missile Regiment in GSDF.

He graduated from the National Defense Academy in 1983 majoring in  international relations. He received a Master’s Degree in International Security from the Graduate School of Takushoku University in 2006. He also completed Command and General Staff Course and Advanced General Staff Course at the GSDF Staff College.

After retirement from GSDF, he joined into the academic sector as a professor in College of Risk Management, Nihon University. He teaches risk and crisis management, disaster response, and Japan’s defense policy. His research covers wide range of issues including Japan’s defense strategy, GSDF’s defense posture, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HA/DR), and civil-military collaboration.

His recent works in English include “Shore to Shore Amphibious Assault” (U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings, July 2020); “Japan’s Disaster” (Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies; Disaster Response Regional Architectures, Assessing Future Possibilities, September 2017); and “Japan’s Capacity Building for Vietnam: Cooperating with the United States for Maritime Security in the South China Sea” (Research Institute for Peace and Security, RIPS Policy Perspectives, No.22, February 2015).

While teaching at university, he works as an Associate of Cheltons Consulting Ltd and BMT.

CIVILIAN SERVICE:
2018— President, Rose Town Consulting, Tokyo Japan
2015—2018 Managing Director, Raytheon International Inc. Japan
2012 – 2015 Managing Director, Integrated Defense Systems, Tokyo Office
2001 – 2004 US Marine Forces Japan, Okinawa, Dep Asst Ch of Staff, G5 – GS-14
1997 – 2001 Security Liaison Det, 500th MI Group, Tokyo, Japan, LNO – GS-12
1992 – 1997 17th Area Support Group, Camp Zama, Japan, Com Rel Off – GS-12

MILITARY SERVICE:
2006 – 2012 94th Army Air and Missile Def Cmd (Fwd), Yokota AB, Japan (Active)
2004 –2005 United States Embassy, Tokyo, Japan – Army Attaché (Active)
2003 – 2004 United States Embassy, Tokyo, Japan – Army Attaché (Reserve)
1998 – 2003 US Forces Japan, Yokota AB, Japan – Deputy J5, Intl Affairs Off (R)
1995 – 1998 US Army Japan, Camp Zama, Japan – G3, Operations Officer (R)
1992 – 1995 US Army Japan, Camp Zama, Japan – G5, Pol-Mil Officer (Reserve)
1990 – 1992 US Army Japan, Camp Zama, Japan – Foreign Area Officer Training
1986 – 1987 US Army Air Def Sch, School Brigade, Ft Bliss, TX, HHB, Commander
1985 – 1986 Directorate Training and Doctrine, Ft Bliss, TX, Foreign Mil Sales Off
1982 – 1984 ADA Special Weapons Det, Vorden, Germany, Team Commander
1981 – 1982 ADA Special Weapons Det, Schoppingen, Germany, Asst Tm Cdr

CIVILIAN EDUCATION:

Wheaton College Wheaton, Illinois 1980 BA, Economics
Wheaton College Wheaton, Illinois 1980 BA, Theology
University of Hawaii Honolulu, Hawaii 1990 Japanese Studies

MILITARY EDUCATION:
Air Defense Officers Course, Ft Bliss, Texas, 1980
Airborne School, Ft Benning, Georgia, 1981
Ranger School, Ft Benning, Georgia, 1981
Air Defense Officer Advanced Course, Ft Bliss, Texas, 1984
Defense Institute of Security Asst Mgt Course, Wright-Pat, AB, Ohio, 1986
Combined Arms Service Staff School, Ft Leavenworth, Kansas, 1987
Defense Language Institute (Japanese), Monterey, California, 1988
Foreign Service Institute (Japanese), Yokohama, Japan, 1991
Command General Staff College, Ft Leavenworth, Kansas, 1996
Reserve Joint Military Attaché School, Washington, D.C., 2003

MILITARY AWARDS:
Defense Superior Service Medal Defense Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal Army Achievement Medal National Defense Service Medal Armed Forces Reserve Medal Army Service Ribbon Overseas Service Ribbon w/2 Superior Civilian Service Award Global War on Terror Srvice Medal
Army Reserve Completion Overseas Training Ribbon w/9

Jeffrey A. Bloom is the President of Bloom Pacific LLC, offering consulting services to companies engaged in international trade in defense and aerospace equipment, components, and technology, particularly with Japan. Mr. Bloom has 20 years of U.S. government experience in international defense sales and collaboration on defense technology. He can provide insight into U.S. Department of Defense acquisition trends and the “Washington D.C.” view of the ever changing international defense market. He has extensive contacts in Government and industry, and can serve as a Washington presence for clients without a defense oriented office in D.C. From his 20-year career as a U.S. Navy Aviator he has the experience and credibility of having operated tactical aircraft, missiles, and other defense and aerospace systems.

Mr. Bloom, recently retired from the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, OUSD (AT&L) where he served as the Country Director for Japan, in the International Cooperation (IC) directorate from March of 2000. He held the Pacific Team Lead, as well as the Taiwan, China, and Latin America portfolios during portions of his sixteen years as a Department of Defense civilian. He was the principle advisor to the Department on Japan, Taiwan, and Latin America matters relating to defense technology, equipment, equipment sustainment and armaments cooperation. He was responsible for establishing international armaments cooperation policy, ensuring that policy is properly implemented, and engaging to achieve closer cooperation. Mr. Bloom directed the activities of the U.S.-Japan Systems and Technology Forum (S&TF), chaired by the Under Secretary of Defense (AT&L), and subordinate groups. He co-chaired the U.S.-Japan (S&TF) Technology Group. He directed the activities of the U.S.-Taiwan Defense Armaments Cooperation and Exchange Forum.

In previous assignment as a U.S. Navy Commander, Mr. Bloom served as the Japan Country Director in the Navy International Programs Office 1996 to 2000, where he was responsible for managing foreign military sales of U.S. Navy equipment to Japan. He had two Navy tours in Japan; 1994-1996 in Yokosuka with Seventh Fleet Staff, and 1992-1994 as Tactics and Operations Officer with an A-6 Squadron forward deployed to Atsugi. His Navy career included combat missions over Lebanon, Grenada, and Iraq, and over 600 carrier landings.

Mr. Bloom holds a Master of Arts in Asian Studies and Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University, a Master of Public Administration from Troy State University, and completed the U.S. Navy War College curriculum. Mr. Bloom resides in Arlington, Virginia with his wife Anne Welch Bloom and three sons. Mr. Bloom’s activities include playing and coaching ice hockey, church choir, and home improvement.