Katsuya Tanaka

Department

NIHON BIOTECH CO., LTD

Job Title

Director, Tourism Division

INSTRUCTION LANGUAGES

English, Japanese

PERSONAL BIO

Katsuya Tanaka is the Director ofthe Tourism Division at NIHON BIOTECH CO., LTD. After building a long career with global companies, he moved from Tokyo to Itoman City, Okinawa.

Through living and working in Okinawa, he has become increasingly interested in the region’s potential. He believes that Okinawa has much more to offer not only as a tourism destination, but also through its local food, agriculture, fisheries, culture, and unique natural environment. He is particularly interested in finding ways to share these strengths more widely with people in Japan and around the world and to develop new business opportunities.

Having workedin multinational business environments for many years, he has experiencecommunicating in English and has traveled to many countries on business. Theseexperiences have given him an international perspective and an appreciation fordifferent cultures and ways of thinking.

At UMiNCHi, he hopes to use this experience to support the development of inbound tourism in Okinawa. As a mentor, he looks forward to exchanging ideas with students from Taiwan and working together to explore new ways to introduce Okinawa and UMiNCHi to international visitors.

WORK EXPERIENCE AND AWARDS

Professional Experience

Director, Tourism Division, NIHONBIOTECH CO., LTD.
Extensive experience in global IT and technology companies, including Sun Microsystems Japan, Oracle Corporation Japan, and IBM Japan
Extensive experience in international business and cross-cultural communication

Additional Qualifications & Achievements

Licensed Cook, Japan
Author and co-author of several publications on information technology, databases, and mobile computing

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

Bachelor of Laws, College of Lawand Politics, Rikkyo University, Japan

VacancIES

Brief Introduction of the Department

The Tourism Division of NIHON BIOTECH CO., LTD. operates tourism and experiential programs at UMiNCHi in Itoman City, Okinawa. Our goal is to introduce visitors to the unique nature, food, culture, and lifestyle of Okinawa through authentic local experiences.

UMiNCHi brings together a variety of activities and services, including sea grape harvesting experiences, Okinawa soba and local food experiences, traditional salt-making, Sabani traditional boat experiences, marine activities, camping and BBQ, and guesthouse accommodation. By combining tourism with our experience in sea grape cultivation and Okinawan food products, we aim to create opportunities for visitors to experience Okinawa beyond conventional sightseeing.

The Tourism Division is also exploring opportunities to attract more international visitors to Okinawa, particularly travelers from Taiwan and other Asian markets. The division is interested in understanding how overseas visitors discover destinations, what kinds of experiences they value, and how the appeal of UMiNCHi can be communicated more effectively through social media, digital content, and tourism marketing..

Interns will work closely with the local team and contribute international perspectives and ideas to the development and promotion of tourism experiences. We hope that the internship will provide an opportunity for students to learn about Okinawan tourism and regional business while helping us build stronger connections with international travelers.

Department Staff Number

5-10 people

Internship Job Description

The Inbound Tourism Marketing Intern will work with our Tourism Division to explore how UMiNCHi and Okinawa can attract and engage more international visitors, particularly travelers from Taiwan and other Asian markets.

The intern will conduct research on travel trends, visitor interests, social media behavior, and tourism preferences in Taiwan and other relevant markets. Based on these insights, the intern will help identify opportunities to improve how UMiNCHi communicates its attractions and experiences to international audiences.

The intern may participate in planning and creating social media content, promotional materials, and tourism-related information for overseas visitors. Activities may include developing ideas for posts and short-form content, reviewing existing information from an international visitor’s perspective, proposing marketing campaigns, and identifying potential communication channels or partners that could help introduce UMiNCHi to travelers in Taiwan.

We also encourage the intern to experience our tourism activities firsthand and provide recommendations on how our services, information, and visitor experience could be improved for international guests.

This internship is designed as a practical project rather than an observational program. We welcome interns who are willing to take initiative, communicate their ideas, and work together with our local team to develop realistic proposals and content that can contribute to increasing inbound tourism to Okinawa.

Preferred Intern Education Level

Undergraduate students (third year and above)
Master Students

Preferred Intern Skill Sets or Qualities

Strong interest in tourism,marketing, and international business
Interest in social media and digital content creation
Ability to conduct market research and organize findings
Good communication and teamwork skills
Ability to think creatively and propose new ideas
Interest in Okinawan culture, local communities, and regional development
Self-motivated and willing to take initiative
Understanding of Taiwanese consumer trends and travel preferences is highly welcomed

Internship Period

From Mid-June to Early September (adjustable at the discretion of the organisation)

Others

Expected working hoursper week : 40Hours
Only benefits will be provided.
- Free accommodation at the companyguesthouse during the internship period
- Lunch provided on working days
- One round-trip airfare betweenTaiwan and Okinawa covered by the company