Dr. Shobayashi graduated from the Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, of the University of Tokyo, and the Master’s Course from Johns Hopkins University, Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering. He holds a doctorate in agriculture from the University of Tokyo. In 1982, he joined the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) of Japan and had worked in policy planning related to agricultural policy, agricultural environment and water resource policy, trade and environment, etc. at MAFF, the World Bank, the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development), and the Shiga Prefectural Government. In 2007, he left MAFF and became a professor at Gakushuin Women’s College, in the Faculty of Intercultural Studies. In 2017, he was nominated for Vice President of the College and had been in the position until he moved to Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN) in 2023. At RIHN, he is a Program Director for “Combining Knowledge for a Fundamental Innovation of Land Use Program”. His major publications include “Agri-environmental Policy in Japan” and “The Concept and Policy Design of Agricultural Direct Payments.”
Website: Research Institute for Humanity and Nature