role: Strategic Advisors

Dale Suzuki is leveraging his career in the Japan defense industry by focusing primarily on simulation technologies used for training and other purposes which would support Japan’s operational readiness.

Suzuki is a Japanese-American born in Raleigh, North Carolina. Suzuki attended Stanford University majoring in Electrical and Aerospace Engineering. His choice of specializations stemmed from his love of aircraft from childhood, and his opportunity to work in a Space Shuttle program further deepened his interest in the aerospace industry.

Suzuki’s first permanent job started in 1989 at the ITOCHU group in Tokyo. He was the first person hired by the trading firm into a group which was to specialize in simulation technology. This job, since it initially involved primarily the use of simulation in the aerospace industry, combined his compassion for the field with the opportunity to gain experience in business development for complex systems such as air traffic control simulators.

After nine years at the ITOCHU group, Suzuki decided to move to the financial services industry where he was responsible for promotion of systems and consulting services. Although this career change took him to a significantly different market, it helped Suzuki develop skills and knowhow which eventually enabled him to handle business challenges across a broad range of industries including cybersecurity, software development tools, and digital transformation.

In those industries, Suzuki has primarily worked for non-Japanese firms where he has been responsible for management of those companies’ Tokyo offices, business development, and consulting. He now is an adviser for RealViz, Inc., an independent Japanese company which is a leader in providing modeling and simulation to the Ministry of Defense and its major defense contractors.

Since all of Suzuki’s roles have involved business between Japanese and overseas entities, he has been able to leverage his bicultural and bilingual skills to contribute to the success of large-scale international programs including the missions of ISIC.

Shuzo Otani is a transformational business leader in the engineering simulation and high-tech industries. As the Area Vice President for Aerospace & Defense at ANSYS, he has driven the launch and direction of the aerospace and defense vertical across the Asia-Pacific region.

Otani orchestrates strategies aligning with national defense agencies and government affiliates in key countries, forging partnerships with the region’s top aerospace and defense suppliers while coordinating large-scale direct sales and multi-country channel partner support. His expert approach brings customized ANSYS simulation solutions to important and complex defense procurements, making a significant contribution to ANSYS’s regional growth and the advancement of the Asia-Pacific’s aerospace sector.

Previously, as Area Vice President & Country Manager at ANSYS Japan. Under His guidance, the organization continued a strong path of business expansion and consistently met ambitious annual performance objectives. He substantially expanded the workforce while transforming and segmenting the direct sales structure to better align with target industries and specific customer groups. In addition, he oversaw enhancements to partner strategies and sales initiatives and guided a shift toward advanced contract models, which brought greater resilience and growth opportunities to the business.

Earlier in his career, he held prominent regional and national leadership roles at established global companies such as Autodesk and webMethods and led business intelligence expansion at IHS. He encompasses enterprise transformation, government relations, go-to-market strategy, advanced analytics, team development, and guiding international organizations through rapid and complex technological changes across aerospace, manufacturing, and beyond.

Dr. Tim Haffner is an International Relations Specialist with U.S. Forces Japan where he focuses on Alliance Transformation and Force Posture aimed at providing for the defense of Japan and the maintenance of regional security. He is a retired Air Force Reserve officer with his last assignment as a Political-Military Affairs Strategist with U.S. Forces Japan. He has been living in Japan since 2016 and enjoys training in Aikido and other samurai legacy martial arts.

Prior to moving to Japan, Dr. Haffner was a counternarcotics program analyst with U.S. Africa Command, providing law enforcement assistance to a variety of security forces in the North, West, and Central subregions. As an Air Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician, he supported ground combat operations in Iraq (2007) and Afghanistan (2008) and was awarded a Bronze Star and Combat Action Badge. Before joining the Air Force reserve in 2000, he served in the Army and National Guard Infantry units, from 1989 to 1999, specializing in small unit scout and sniper operations.

In his early civilian career, Dr. Haffner was a law enforcement officer at the municipal and county levels, a criminal investigator, an undercover drug agent, and SWAT team leader, in addition to serving with the U.S. Border Patrol in Arizona. He graduated from both the Southwest Florida Criminal Justice and U.S. Border Patrol academies with academic and firearms distinction awards and was also a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Squadron Officer School.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, a Master’s in Strategic Intelligence, and a Doctorate in Political Economy with a concentration in crisis cycles and scenario planning.

Ms. Tomoko Hoshino has extensive experience in international conferences and security-related engagements. She supported African ministers and delegates at TICAD V (2013) and TICAD VII (2019), assisting with diplomatic coordination and logistics.

At the African Development Bank Annual Meeting in 2019 (Malabo), she collaborated with AfDB officials, while in 2020 she observed the World Economic Forum in Davos, joining Financial Times-hosted sessions. She contributed to African security cooperation through the Ghana police project (2013) and participated in diplomatic briefings and courtesy visits to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.

As Horasis Global Vision Ambassador (2018–2019), she contributed to global economic dialogues, complementing her membership in the Africa Business Council (since 2019) and The Japan-India Association (2019–2021). Her work has consistently involved international delegations, government agencies, and national security.

Most recently, she initiated and coordinated the Ukraine-Japan Business Recovery Forum in February 2024, in partnership with Nikkei Newspaper and both countries’ Ministries of Foreign Affairs. The event at Nikkei Hall successfully brought 39 Ukrainian municipal leaders, including mayors, to Japan.

These are examples of Hoshino’s commitment to preserving peace through alliance building and a robust defense industry as a pillar of economic security. She is experienced producing and participating in private and intergovernmental meetings, organizing advanced dialogue on global stability and resilience.

Tetsuzo (Ted) Matsumoto has nearly 62 years of business carrier mainly in Information, Communication and Media business in Japan, US, and some other countries, and is still active in Japanese business community. Presently, he is serving as Chairman and CEO of ORNIS Corp. (Ocean Radar Network Information Services), Chairman and CEO of SAUFAL Inc. (Swarming Autonomous Underwater Fleet Architectural Laboratory) and Representative Director of HIQA, a non-profit organization for the Certification and Support of High IQ people.

In October 2006, Matsumoto joined Softbank Mobile Corp., as a member of the Board, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, according to the strong request of Masayoshi Son, Founder and Chairman of SoftBank Group. He served for the company for nearly 6 years, mainly responsible for the engineering strategy, government relations and international business development. During that period, the company recorded a dramatic growth.

Number of the mobile subscribers, which was 15.22 million (market share 16.5%) in March 2006, grew to 42.18 million (market share 29.8%) in March 2013, and EBIT, which was JPY 76.3 billion, grew to JPY 517.1 billion (6.8 times). During this period, he was also instrumental for the global cooperation of the mobile communication industry. He served as a member of the Board of GSMA (London) and GTI (Beijing) to play leading roles in these organizations for the technological innovation. Prior to joining the Softbank group, Matsumoto worked for Qualcomm for more than 10 years, commencing as a consultant, and, subsequently, serving as President and Chairman of Qualcomm Japan, which he established in March 1998, as well as Senior Vice President of its HQ in San Diego. During the time he served for Qualcomm, he was successful to change the political climate of Japanese mobile communication industry and make the system Qualcomm proposed one of the Japanese 3G standards.

Before that, Matsumoto worked for a Japanese conglomerate, Itochu Corporation for 34 years, occupying the positions such as Senior VP of Electronics Division of Itochu America, and General Manager of Telecommunication and Multimedia Business of its Tokyo HQ. Among many achievements he made during the time he served for Itochu, one of the remarkable was his contribution to the merger of the two competing satellite communication companies, which saved the industry from the serious over supply of the capacity, and the creation of the concept of the world’s first “Platform-based” Direct Satellite Broadcasting Service. Matsumoto received a Bachelor of Law degree from Kyoto University in 1962. In 2013 and 2014, he served as a Special Visiting Professor for Graduate School of Global Business at Meiji University.

Through his carrier, he wrote many books. In late 2017, he published a book titled “The Day AI becomes God” in Japanese and Korean. English version of the same book was published in 14 countries in the end of 2018, and the Chinese version was published by the Publishing Department of Tsinghua University in early 2019.

Geoff Newman has been active in Asia-Pacific since 1980, when he became Columbia
University’s first exchange student to Peking University. He established the Collins
Aerospace (Hamilton Standard) business office in Hong Kong in 1985, marketing
aerospace products in China and Asia Pacific. In 1991 he expanded to Japan, opening
their business office in Tokyo, and has been working in Japan and the region since.
Currently, he is an international business development leader for Silicon Sensing, which
is a Collins Aerospace (UK) joint venture with SPP (Sumitomo Precision Products) for
sensors and inertial measurement.

Geoff’s mission has been to develop and maintain relationships with key customers and
suppliers while pursuing new business relationships, primarily through partnership,
across the aerospace and industrial markets for Collins Aerospace. He has been with
Collins since 1985 and has built a broad background in the aerospace industry and
international marketing. He has held various positions in international marketing,
business development and program management for products ranging from propellers
and engine accessories to fuel cells and equipment for space.

A speaker of both Chinese and Japanese, he has experience working and living in
Japan, China, Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore, India, and the Middle East.

Geoff has a bachelor’s degree in international relations and a master’s in Chinese
sociology, both from Columbia University. He has attended several strategic leadership
and professional development programs at Oxford University and Wharton.
He currently resides in New England with his family.

Rabita Jamal has over 20 years of international experience in marketing, business development, and strategic partnerships across a wide range of industries in Asia Pacific, Europe, and North America. As International Marketing Director at ISIC Japan, she supports the Council’s efforts to strengthen business-to-business collaboration between Japanese industry and global partners, with a focus on supply chain cooperation, market engagement, and international partnership development.

She has worked extensively with corporate, government, and institutional stakeholders in building cross-border alliances and advancing collaborative initiatives across defence, technology, and industrial sectors. Drawing on broad cross-sector experience, her work supports ISIC Japan’s mission to foster mutually beneficial industry cooperation in support of security and stability in Japan and the Indo-Pacific region.

Earning a Ph.D. in Astronomy at Kobe University Graduate School of Science and Technology, Yuske started his professional career joining Hitachi Solutions where he was engaged in systems engineering and then to international sales of Interactive Whiteboards for the Oceania region.

After working at Dell as sales for the government of Japan and YSI/Nanotech as a sales engineer for water quality instruments and doppler flow meters, he came back to the space industry and joined JAMSS (Japan Manned Space Systems) to become an instructor for Astronaut and Flight Controller training and inter-agency coordination for scheduling astronaut training.

Yuske later was transferred to JAXA to provide training support for the JAXA Astronauts, especially Norishige Kanai, in preparation for his mission on board the International Space Station (Exp 54/55). Yuske decided it was time for him to return to the private sector, and after working at Astroscale at Sales & Marketing, next at Space BD for business development in North America and Oceania, and then GITAI Japan as the first sales representative, he joined Axiom Space in November 2022 as the APAC Sales Manager.

Nupur Tewari is actively engaged in exploring the strategic partnership between India and Japan. Her focus on this critical aspect of national security underscores her commitment to promoting bilateral cooperation and strengthening defense ties between the two nations. Through her work, she seeks to highlight the significance of this partnership in safeguarding shared interests and ensuring regional stability.

Interestingly, Tewari-san has a multifaceted professional background. She is known for her work as a motivational speaker, spiritual healer, philanthropist, performance coach, and yoga instructor. She has also been involved in fostering bilateral relations between India and Japan through her consultancy service, Connect India Japan, which aims to bridge cultures, create job opportunities, facilitate internships, support businesses, and provide startup visibility.

Nupur is also producer of The Nupur Tewari Show on YouTube, where stories are brought to life through engaging conversations. With a dedicated series titled “Indian Army: The Shield That Protects India, ” she delves deep into the realm of defense, spotlighting the valor and sacrifices of the armed forces. She has served alongside the Indian Army in Kashmir, gaining firsthand experience in challenging terrain.

The Rising Sun Conclave, an event spearheaded by Tewari-san, features exclusive discussions including a Fireside Chat with Maj. Gen. Gagan Deep Bakshi and Defense Experience with Japan with Lt. Gen. Sanjay Kulkarni. With a focus on strengthening Indo-Japanese ties, defense dialogues take center stage.

Her journey began in a small village in West Bengal, and despite facing adversities, she has worked her way up to become a respected figure in her field. Now based in Tokyo, Japan, she continues to inspire and connect people across the globe.

Robert Moss is General Manager, Asia-Pacific for Nikon SLM Solutions, a global provider of integrated metal additive manufacturing solutions, headquartered in Lübeck, Germany, a Nikon Group Company. As GM Rob oversees all daily operations of Nikon SLM Solutions’ businesses in the Asia-Pacific region, including corporate entities in Singapore (Regional HQ), India, Korea, and Japan. The team at Nikon SLM Solutions provides cutting edge laser powder bed fusion machines using selective laser melting technology to provide advanced additive manufacturing solutions with over 16 metal alloys and is developing new materials to meet customer needs all the time. Rob was recruited to join the SLM team in March 2025.

Prior to his current role, Rob was the Senior Director, Sales and Business Development, APAC for Teledyne FLIR Defense. In that role he led all sales and BD activities in the region for all government and defense specific products and services of Teledyne FLIR, a role he held for five years. Before FLIR Rob worked as Managing Director, Asia for Collins Aerospace, as Director of North Asia sales for Rockwell Collins, and as Director of Strategic Marketing and Business Development for Pall Aerospace, Defense, and Marine. Rob has been based in Tokyo, Japan and worked as a regional expert in Aerospace, Defense, and Marine businesses, and as a business development professional since retiring from the US Navy in 2014.

Robert Moss spent 24 years, 1990 – 2014, as a commissioned officer and helicopter pilot in the United States Navy. His primary aircraft was the Sikorsky MH/CH-53E, which he flew extensively across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa while stationed at Naval Air Station Sigonella, in Sicily, as part of Helicopter Combat Support Squadron FOUR, the Black Stallions. In addition to flying Rob served in multiple shore and ship-based assignments in various locations, culminating his Navy career as the Officer in Charge and Regional Director, Asia and the Americas, for the Office of Naval Research Global, based in Tokyo.

Rob holds Master of Science Degrees in Systems Technology, and in Defense Analysis, both from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. He also earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from California State University, Long Beach, and was commissioned an officer in the US Navy by the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps unit at the University of California, Los Angeles. Rob also holds certificates in Internation Management, Congressional Affairs, Archives Management, Lean/Six Sigma, and Defense Acquisitions (both Program and Technology Management). Rob has lived and worked in Japan for over eighteen years, fifteen of those in Tokyo.