SPAIN FOOD NATION SUMMIT JAPAN 2025

May 20 2025

Speakers

Food Advisory Council

Name	Organization
Akira Nakatake	Head Chef, Izurun
Guillermo González	Spanish Branch, President, EAT8
Midori Niimura	Executive Managing DirectorSales & Marketing, Azalea Inc.
Shuichi Kameyama	Adviser, Burra Foods PTY., LTD. Japan Office
Tomohiro Oyama	Manager Sales Division 1, Asahi Grant Company Limited
Toshiya Tada	Chairman & Founder, The Olive Oil Sommelier Association of Japan

Wine Advisory Council

Name	Organization
Alfonso Martín	Managing Director, Union Liquors K.K.
Chisako Morimoto	Wine Instructor, Academie du Vin
Kazuto Sakurai	Owner, Wine bar LOS VINOS
Kumi Ueno	Manager, Buyer, WINE CURATION
Naoto Uchiike	Owner, Wine speciality Store Petite MaisonShigeru Aoki
Shigeru Aoki	Executive Chef, Bar de Ollaria
Yasushi Tamura	President, MAVIE Corporation

PROFILES

Food Advisory Council

Shuichi Kameyama

Adviser

Burra Foods PTY., LTD. Japan Office

Shuichi Kameyama has built a distinguished career in the dairy industry, with a strong focus on cheese. His professional journey includes roles at Toshoku Ltd. (1975–1982, now Cargill Japan LLC), Deputy General Manager at the Australian Dairy Corporation (1982–2002), General Manager at Murray Goulburn Cooperative Co., Ltd. (2002–2018, now Saputo Dairy Australia), and Adviser at Murakawa Corporation (2018–2024). Since 2024, he has been serving as Adviser at the Japan Office of Burra Foods PTY., LTD.

Toshiya Tada

Chairman & Founder

The Olive Oil Sommelier

Association o Japan

Toshiya Tada is the Founder and General Director of the Olive Oil Sommelier Association of Japan. A Master Olive Oil Sommelier and international judge, he organizes OLIVE JAPAN and is a guest professor, bestselling author, and global speaker. He holds degrees from ICU Tokyo and Trinity College Cambridge and is also a trained tea master.

Tomohiro Oyama

Manager Sales Division 1

Asahi Grant Company Limited

Tomohiro Oyama joined Asahi Grant Co. Ltd. in 2002, bringing with him over a decade of experience in the meat industry. He specializes in sales to retail and commercial wholesalers, as well as specialty shops focused on Mediterranean cuisine. He has a deep passion for cured ham, salami, and their history. He tirelessly promotes them as versatile ingredients that pair wonderfully with a wide variety of dishes and wines.

Midori Niimura

Executive Managing Director

Sales & Marketing

Azalea Inc.

Midori Niimura has 20 years of experience in the business of a wide range of Spanish ingredients, emphasizing "quality, rarity, and unique story''. With great care and passion, she communicates the value and story behind each Spanish ingredient to a wide range of discerning chefs, including Michelin-starred professionals.

Guillermo González

Spanish Branch, President

EAT8

Guillermo González came to Japan in 2018 and began his journey as a bridge between Spanish gastronomy and the Japanese market with the establishment of his cooking studio, *Nihonbashi Atelier*. In 2024, he was appointed President of the Spanish branch of EAT8 Co., Ltd. He has played a key role in planning and managing gastronomy events such as those related to *Madrid Fusión*, fostering culinary exchange between Spain and Japan. He also provides strategic consulting for Spanish food and beverage producers seeking to enter the Japanese market. In addition, Guillermo offers Japanese cooking lessons and hands-on workshops for international visitors, helping deepen their understanding of Japanese culture. As a food business consultant, he continues to create cross-cultural connections through the power of food.

Akira Nakatake

Head Chef

Izurun

Akira Nakatake was born in Hiroshima Prefecture in 1982. After graduating from Osaka’s Tsuji Culinary Institute, he studied under Koji Fukaya at Basque, a restaurant in Hakodate. In 2010, he studied in Spain on a Japanese government scholarship as a representative of Japan and one of 20 chosen worldwide for the 3rd ICEX Spanish Gastronomy Training Program organized by the Spanish National Trade Agency. At that time, he worked for 3 years at the three-Michelin-star restaurants AKELARE and Arzak in the Basque region.After returning to Japan, he studied cha-kaiseki cuisine and Spanish gastronomy at Yamada Chikara in Azabu, Tokyo. He has been in his current position since July 2021.

Wine Advisory Council

Alfonso Martín

Managing Director

Union Liquors K.K.

Alfonso Martin joined Union Liquors K.K. in 2001, leading the development of their Spanish wines and liquors portfolio. The company imports and distributes brands with international awareness of Spanish wines and other kind of alcoholic beverages across Japan. Alfonso also serves as a Director at Nichifutsu Boeki K.K.

Chisako Morimoto

Wine Instructor

Academie du Vin

CRDO Sherry Ambassador, CPA Cheese Professional, JSA Sommelier WSET Level 3, ICEX Spanish Wine Specialist

Chisako Morimoto has been teaching Spanish wine at Académie du Vin (Aoyama School) for 15 years. She regularly travels to Spain, sharing her experiences with students. Emphasizing food pairings, she incorporates Spanish cheeses and Japanese dishes like soba and eel into her lessons. Chisako also promotes sparkling, still, and fortified Spanish wines, including sherry.

Kazuto Sakurai

Owner

Wine bar LOS VINOS

Ganador del “Concurso de sumilleres de Vinos Españoles 2007”, Caballero Confrare de Mèrito Confraria del Cava Sant Sadurní.

Kazuto Sakurai is the owner of “LOS VINOS,” a Spanish wine bar in Shinagawa, Tokyo, and a seasoned wine specialist. With extensive experience in wine sales at restaurants and bars, he also teaches wine seminars, offers consulting, and actively promotes Spanish wines every day.

Kumi Ueno

Manager, Buyer

WINE CURATION

Kumi Ueno is a JAS Sommelier. She currently works as a buyer in the Product Development Department at Wine Curation Co., Ltd., overseeing the procurement of Spanish wines for e-commerce sites such as "Kyobashi Wine." She served as a judge at international wine competitions including MUNDUS VINI, Wines From Spain AWARDS (co-hosted by ICEX and MUNDUS VINI), and the SAKURA AWARD.

Naoto Uchiike

Owner

Wine speciality Store Petite Maison

JSA Senior Sommelier, Lecturer at Académie du Vin Tokyo, Lecturer at NHK Cultural Center, Sherry ambassador.

Naoto Uchiike trained at a beer company to prepare for taking over his family’s liquor wholesale business, which has operated since the Meiji era. He studied wine in France from 1989 to 1990, and in 2004, opened Petite Maison, a wine specialty store in Setagaya, Tokyo. Naoto also writes wine columns and regularly appears on TV and radio.

Shigeru Aoki

Executive Chef

Bar de Ollaria

Shigeru Aoki started his culinary career at an Italian restaurant, and began studying Spanish cuisine at the Ogasawara Hakushakutei in 2006. After working at several Spanish restaurants, he was appointed as the chef of Bar de Ollaria in 2021. He passed the Official Venenciador Qualification Examination in 2016 and was certified as an official Venenciador by Bodegas Barbadillo in 2017.

Yasushi Tamura

President

MAVIE Corporation

Chevalier of the French Agricultural Merit by the French government, Bordeaux Wine Knight Connetablier de Guyenne, Book writer, Wine educator.

Yasushi Tamura spent 10 years in Europe as a marketing manager for a major food manufacturer, where he discovered organic wines. After returning to Japan, he founded MAVIE Corporation in 1998. His book Organic Wine Book won the Best Wine Book Award at the 2004 Gourmand Cookbook Awards. Yasushi now gives lectures nationwide, promoting European-style organic living as a lifestyle choice.

Speakers

Food Advisory Council

Wine Advisory Council

PROFILES

Food Advisory Council

Wine Advisory Council

Cookies settings

Technical cookies

Analysis cookies

Advertising cookies

WARNING ABOUT COOKIES