- Q: What is your current research topic?
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We are conducting research into the classification and ecology of moon jellyfish that inhabit the Ogasawara Islands.
- Q: What motivated you to start your research?
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- The Ogasawara Islands are about 20 hours away by boat from Tokyo, and are made up of a unique ecosystem with a large number of endemic species. No jellyfish species have yet been classified there, so I began my research with the idea that a new species of moon jellyfish might live there. In addition, jellyfish can cause serious damage to fishing and power plants due to their mass outbreaks, and they have a large impact on the marine ecosystem, so I wanted to investigate their impact on the environment in Ogasawara.
- Q: What is interesting and rewarding about your research?
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Although the survey revealed that the Ogasawara moon jellyfish were not a new species, I felt it was meaningful and rewarding to be the first in the world to study the ecology of the jellyfish found in Ogasawara and to be the first to find out the results.
- Q: What are some of the challenges of research?
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- The most difficult part is that we are dealing with living creatures. We actually go to the Ogasawara Islands by boat, which takes a week, to collect jellyfish, but jellyfish are sensitive to changes in the natural environment and often disappear when it rains, so there have been several times when we went to Ogasawara and were unable to collect any.
- Q: What kind of social impact can you expect from your research?
Please tell me about short-term (1-2 years from now) and long-term (up to 10 years from now) plans.
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In the short term, what we already know about the ecology of the jellyfish that live in the Ogasawara Islands will make it easier to predict what impacts they will have on human activities and the marine ecosystem.
In the long term, we have learned that the jellyfish found in Ogasawara are a species that are distributed over a wide area from the tropics to the subtropics, so we believe that this data will be useful in predicting the future expansion of their distribution due to climate change, etc. - Q: To which SDGs can your research contribute?
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- By understanding the ecology of jellyfish, we can predict how jellyfish will behave due to climate change and help protect ecosystems, which will contribute to Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans.
- Q: Were there any people or events that influenced you when you decided to enroll at Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology?
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- I had many opportunities to come into contact with the ocean and its creatures from an early age, which led me to develop an interest in nature and the ocean. During my high school years, I came across a book by Associate Professor Kotaro Tsuchiya of our university, which inspired me to study marine biology. After enrolling in our university, I actually took classes there.
- Q: Why did you decide to go to graduate school?
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- Most importantly, I find research enjoyable. Continuing my research has not only deepened my interest, but also strengthened my desire to continue working in this field in the future.
- Q: Please tell us about your dreams, goals, and the career you are aiming for in the future.
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- In the future, I would like to become a university professor and continue my research while also being involved in education. I would also like to be involved in research on plankton other than jellyfish.
- Please give a message to those (applicants) who are considering going on to a master's (doctoral) program.
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- When I searched online, it seemed like there was a strong negative image of doctoral programs, but when I actually went to a doctoral program, I found it to be a lot of fun to be able to do research intensively for long periods of time. If there are parts of research that you find enjoyable, I hope you will cherish your feelings.
