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TOKAJI Natsuko
Graduate School of Business Administration / Division of Business Administration
Associate Professor

  • Profile

    Natsuko Tokaji is an Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Business Administration, Kobe University, and an Independent Board Director, Daishinku Corporation , a company listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime Market.

    Prior to her academic career, she gained extensive professional experience in international business development, marketing, and business planning in both private-sector companies and public-sector economic development organizations. Her work involved business expansion and strategic partnerships through M&A, joint ventures, franchising, and licensing, as well as international business activities in Hong Kong, Singapore, and other Asian markets.

    At Kobe University, she is engaged in international business education and the development and management of international MBA and DBA partnerships. She also leads KIBER (Kobe International Business Education and Research), an international business education program, and has developed collaborative programs with overseas business schools. Her current interests include international business, corporate strategy, cross-border M&A, global entrepreneurship, and corporate governance.

Researcher basic information

■ Research Keyword
  • International Business, Corporate Strategy, Cross-border M&A, Global Entrepreneurship, Corporate Governance, Cross-Cultural Management, Sustainability
■ Research Areas
  • Humanities & social sciences / Business administration / International Business, Corporate Strategy, Cross-border M&A, Global Entrepreneurship, Corporate Governance, Cross-Cultural Management, Sustainability
■ Committee History
  • Apr. 2026 - Present, Specialized Committee on International Exchange, Member
  • Apr. 2026 - Present, Steering Committee, Global Education Center, Institute for Promotion of Higher Education, Kobe University, Member
  • Apr. 2025 - Present, The Japan Academic Society for M&A Research (JASMAR), Founding Auditor
  • Apr. 2024 - Present, CAMPUS Asia Plus Program Committee, Kobe University, Member
  • Apr. 2024 - Present, Internal Collaboration Promotion Committee, Institute for International Collaboration, Kobe University, Member
  • Apr. 2021 - Present, Kobe University International Student Support Association, Board Member
  • Apr. 2020 - Present, International Exchange Committee, Graduate School of Business Administration, Kobe University, Member
  • Apr. 2020 - Present, KIMAP/KIBER Steering Committee, Graduate School of Business Administration, Kobe University, Member
  • Apr. 2024 - Mar. 2026, Study Abroad Committee, Kobe University, Member
  • Apr. 2021 - Mar. 2026, International Student Committee, Kobe University, Member
  • Apr. 2014 - Jun. 2019, Overseas Risk Management Committee, Vice Chair

Research activity information

■ Paper
  • Effective sustainable entrepreneurship in Japanese organisations
    Lead, Aug. 2025, International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business

  • Genuinely Effective Sustainable Management in Japanese Organizations to Develop Strategic Relationships with Overseas Business Entities
    Lead, Feb. 2024

  • The Applicability of Western Theory into A Japanese Organization
    Lead, Sep. 2009

■ MISC
  • Introduction to the SME M&A White Paper 2026–2027 (Modern Management Research Institute)
    現代経営学研究所の依頼により、「プラットフォーム」欄に『中小M&A白書〈2026-27年版〉』を紹介する記事を執筆。
    Jul. 2026, Business Insight, No. 134, Summer 2026, July 2026, Domestic magazine
    [Invited]

■ Books And Other Publications
  • SME M&A White Paper 2026–2027
    Joint work, Cross-border M&A, MAREC (SME M&A Research and Education Center), May 2026

  • The Dynamics of Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Japan
    Contributor, Kobe University Association for Economics＆Business Administration, Apr. 2026

  • Acquiring Overseas Companies: The Importance of Cross-Cultural Understanding
    Mizuho Research & Technologies, Ltd., Fole No. 279, December 2025, Dec. 2025

  • Growing Cross-Border M&A: A Long-Term Perspective on Strategy Development
    Mizuho Research & Technologies, Ltd., Fole No. 278, November 2025, Nov. 2025

  • SME M&A White Paper 2024–2025
    Joint work, Cross-border M&A, MAREC (SME M&A Research;Education Center), Sep. 2024

  • Ryoso No. 432: “Embracing an Agile Approach”
    Contributor, Gakuen no Mado, Kobe University Ryoso-kai, Jan. 2022

■ Lectures, oral presentations, etc.
  • 8th Annual Symposium, SME M&A Research and Education Center: “Evidence-Based Dialogue”
    Structural Changes in Cross-Border M&A and Regional Strategies, Jun. 2026

  • 3rd Annual Symposium, SME M&A Research and Education Center: “Exploring the Future of SME M&A”
    Current Trends and Perspectives on Cross-Border M&A, Sep. 2024
    Oral presentation

  • Insider Trading

  • Global Partnerships

■ Affiliated Academic Society
  • The Japan Academic Society for M&A Research
    Apr. 2025 - Present
    IRI

■ Social Contribution Activities
  • SME M&A Research and Education Center (MAREC)
    - Present

  • Program for Maximizing the Lifetime Value of Startup Entrepreneurs
    JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization)
    01 Apr. 2022 - 31 Mar. 2023

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