Since then, she has also worked as a visiting scientist at the National Centre for Scientific Research in Marseille, France; the Osaka University in Toyonaka, Japan; and, on several occasions, at the acoustics laboratory at the Danish Technical University.
On January 1, 2006, Mito, along with the towns of Mino, Nio, Saita, Takase, Takuma and Toyonaka (all from Mitoyo District), was merger to create the city of Mitoyo and no longer exists as an independent municipality.
A native of Toyonaka, Osaka and former serviceman of Japan Self-Defense Forces, he was first elected governor in 2005 after serving in the assembly of the prefecture since 1995.