Hailing from Japan, Akane started her career as a technical bureaucrat at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) in 2020, and worked there for six years. Currently, she is studying for an MSc in International City Planning at University College London as a Japanese Government Scholar, examining global planning systems and practices. Through her career, Akane has gained experience not only in policymaking at the national level within the Tokyo headquarters, but also in disaster recovery on the ground at the local level. This combination of high-level planning and practical execution has led her to prioritise the feasibility of each policy. Akane is particularly interested in sustainable transport, disaster management, and de-growth/post-growth urbanism. She is also keen to explore inclusivity and gender-sensitive planning, which enhance the well-being of citizens. From a methodological perspective, she’s drawn to data-driven, evidence-based policy-making. Furthermore, to ensure successful implementation, Akane looks forward to studying the underlying political dynamics.