About Us

Staff Introduction

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  CEOHitomi Yokote

  I am pleased to announce my appointment as CEO of Second Harvest Japan. I have been entrusted with the important task of taking this precious food bank, which the founder and the colleagues have built over the past 20 years, to a new stage, looking ahead to the next 20 years. Together with my wonderful colleagues, I will promote 2hj’s mission “Food for all people” by utilizing my experience and knowledge in the private sector, NPOs, and institutions of higher education. I look forward to the opportunity to collaborate with you.

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  Advocacy & Development / ManagerYuji Shibata

  I had always been interested in food loss, so when I read about 2HJ in the newspaper I thought, “I have to be a part of this!” and immediately began volunteering by delivering food to welfare agencies. I joined 2HJ as staff after the Tohoku disaster, and I am now struggling along as the leader of the Ishinomaki Project.

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  Food Bank team / Manager
  Licensed in Food Safety and HygieneYoko Sakamoto

  I have always felt a sense of regret about food waste, especially when there are those in need. Those feelings eventually led me to 2HJ. With my prior “sales” experience and “mom” power (3 kids including twins), I would like to build a better infrastructure that would make both donors and recipients happy!

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  General AffairsHiroe Goto

  When I heard about the children's cafeteria and foodbank on TV, I applied to be an administrative volunteer, hoping that I could be of some help. Now, as a staff member, I am challenging myself to do something that is not in my job history. I look forward to meeting people from all walks of life and reading the feedback about Food for Kids. The positive feedback keeps me energized!

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  AccountantMitsuko Kayama

  I've long worked in the back office department of several international NGOs, but I decided to join 2HJ because I couldn't forget the fun I had volunteering at a food bank in the U.S. when I was a student. I'm interested in different cultures, especially sweets, and I never fail to check out the local supermarkets when I travel.

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  Harvest PantryKoji Sano

  While I learned that far more people than I had imagined were hungry on a daily basis, I felt a strong sense of discomfort in a society where large quantities of food were being discarded. Once I started volunteering, I was also attracted by the personalities of the people who gathered for the activities. I am glad that we can work together to build a food safety net. I will do my best to be as helpful as possible not only to those in need but also to everyone involved.

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  Food Bank TeamMasashi Yoshimura

  There are many issues in the world, and the problem of food waste and poverty is one of the biggest. On the one hand, a large amount of food is thrown away, and on the other hand, there are people who are in need of food. When I was thinking about what I could do to help, I learned about food banks and jumped into 2hj in 2018. I am just starting out, but I will do my best to build a food safety net in Japan!

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  Food Bank Team
  Large-sized motor vehicle second-class licenseHiroaki Takahashi

  After I got to know about 2HJ in a TV program, I signed up to become a food delivery volunteer. I soon wanted to be committed more to this wonderful activity of distributing food that is doomed to be wasted to those in need. I became a paid worker there. Now I distribute food in a two-ton truck every day.

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  Food Bank Team / Supporting Member OfficeYumiko Ishigaki

  I was very impressed by 2HJ’s philosophy of ‘delivering food for all people based on equal relationships’, and I have decided to join 2HJ. Now, I am so happy to be working with people who share the same mission of building a food safety-net for all people. I will do my best to make everyone involved such as donors, recipients and people working together happier!