Most notably
Kazuhiko is a leading international authority on High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor development who spent seven years as Project Leader at Japan’s High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR).
From 2016 to 2021, he served as Deputy Director General at the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA).
Earlier in his career, he was instrumental in the initial design, safety evaluations and commissioning tests at the HTTR.
Professional experience
Kazuhiko brings a deep knowledge base and highly developed skill set to his pivotal role as co-founder and Chief Nuclear Officer at ZettaJoule.
His expertise includes HTGR safety, thermal hydraulics, and structural analysis.
He dedicated more than 40 years to the development and advancement of HTGRs during his tenure at the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute and the JAEA. Early in his career, he conducted a decade of research and development on internal core structures and primary components of HTGRs at the Helium Engineering Demonstration Loop (HENDEL).
In addition to his work on the HTTR, he led the conceptual design of several commercial HTGRs and oversaw development of the GTHTR300, a next-generation nuclear power concept created by the JAEA.
Kazuhiko is a key figure in international nuclear initiatives through his involvement with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Generation IV International Forum, and the Organisation for Economic Co-Op and Development’s Nuclear Energy Agency.
Education
Kazuhiko received his Ph.D. from Osaka University.
In the early 1990s, he conducted HTGR research as a visiting scholar at Massachusetts Institute of Technology under renowned Professor L. M. Lidsky.
More about Kazuhiko
He has always enjoyed an active lifestyle, with past interests including windsurfing and backpacking. These days, he’s on the golf course as much as his schedule allows, and he readily admits his game is still a work in progress.