SPAIN FOOD NATION SUMMIT JAPAN 2026

September 28 2026

Speakers

Wine Advisory Council

Name	Organization	Position
Yusuke Hitomi	Cave de Relax Co., Ltd.	Executive officer Sales Division General Manager
Yasuko Nagoshi	Wands Publishing Limited	Representative Director
Carl Robinson	JEROBOAM Co., Ltd.	Representative Director & CEO
Aki Sudo	TOKYO SOMMELIER GUILD	Director

Food Advisory Council

Name	Organization	Position
Kenichi Nakano	Isetan Mitsukoshi Ltd.	Planning Leader, Promotion Merchandising Department, 1st Merchandising Group
Victor Ei Okamoto	V&K Inc.	Representative Director
Taguchi Tomohiro	Rosewood Miyakojima hotel	Director of Purchasing
Akito Mukai	Bio c' Bon Japon Co., Ltd .	Merchandise Division Import & Logistics Department Director & Merchandise Team Imports Manager

PROFILES

WINE ADVISORY COUNCIL

Yusuke Hitomi. Executive officer. Sales Division General Manager. (Cave de Relax Co., Ltd.)

Hitomi joined "Cave de Relax", one of Tokyo’s leading wine retailers, in 2005 and has since built extensive experience as a buyer of wines from around the world. For over 20 years, he has also specialized in Japanese wine, traveling across Japan to discover outstanding producers and wines. He has developed several wine retail concepts and continues to share his passion and expertise through media appearances, events, and seminars.

Yasuko Nagoshi. Representative Director (Wands Publishing Limited)

A wine journalist, Nagoshi began her career at a wine importing company before becoming a freelance wine writer and later founding the online magazine Wine Press Japan. In 2015, she joined "WANDS", a leading trade publication for the wine and spirits industry established in 1982. Since 2017, she has served as the company’s Representative Director and Editor-in-Chief.

Carl Robinson. Representative Director & CEO (JEROBOAM Co., Ltd.)

Born in the UK and raised in New Zealand, he returned to the UK at the age of 22, where he earned his WSET Diploma with distinction. Since moving to Japan in 1996, he has built over 30 years of experience in the wine industry. In 2006, he became CEO of the company, specializing in high-quality wines from family-owned producers around the world. Together with his business partner, Master of Wine Ned Goodwin, he also serves as CEO of "Wine Diamonds", an importer specializing in boutique wines from Australia and New Zealand.

Aki Sudo. Director (TOKYO SOMMELIER GUILD)

A J.S.A. Sommelier Excellence and Court of Master Sommeliers Advanced Sommelier, Mukai is co-owner of French bistro Yoshimichi in Tamachi/Mita, Tokyo. With extensive experience in wine service and hospitality, she is also actively engaged with wine regions and producers in Japan and abroad, as well as in mentoring the next generation of sommeliers. She continues to share the value and enjoyment of wine from both professional and consumer perspectives.

FOOD ADVISORY COUNCIL

Kenichi Nakano. Planning Leader, Promotion Merchandising Department, 1st Merchandising Group (Isetan Mitsukoshi Ltd.)

Following senior leadership roles at Isetan Shinjuku and Iwataya Mitsukoshi in Fukuoka, Nakano currently serves as Head of Promotional Merchandising at Isetan Mitsukoshi, overseeing events nationwide. His portfolio includes prestigious international events such as Salon du Chocolat, the Italian Fair, British Fair, and French Fair, as well as major regional showcases from across Japan.

Victor Ei Okamoto.Representative Director (V&K Inc.)

Born in 1982, Okamoto trained for seven years under his Spanish father, who ran a long-established Spanish restaurant in Aoyama, Tokyo. In 2012, he opened "Arrocería Sal y Amor" in Daikanyama, Japan’s first restaurant specializing in Spanish rice cuisine. He has since expanded to five restaurants and bars across Tokyo, and continues to champion Spanish food culture in Japan through both cuisine and wine.

Taguchi Tomohiro. Director of Purchasing (Rosewood Miyakojima hotel)

Beginning his career in the Materials Department at Park Hyatt Tokyo in 1999, Taguchi later contributed to the hotel becoming the first in Japan to obtain Chain of Custody (CoC) certification for handling MSC-and ASC-certified seafood in 2015. From 2016 to 2023, he led purchasing across Hyatt hotels in Japan. In 2023, he joined the pre-opening team of Rosewood Miyakojima, the luxury hotel brand’s first property in Japan, as Director of Purchasing.

Akito Mukai. Merchandise Division Import & Logistics Department. Director & Merchandise Team Imports Manager (Bio c' Bon Japon Co., Ltd.)

Having studied in France during both high school and university, Mukai began his career in food imports in 2006, specializing in the sourcing and development of European products, including olive oil, condiments, and confectionery. He currently oversees import operations, logistics, and product sourcing, playing a key role in connecting the European and Japanese food markets, with a particular focus on organic products.

Speakers

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