Kazuo Oki

Professor, Ph.D. in Urban and Regional Planning
E-Mail
oki.kazuo
Areas of Research
Data Science, Food Production Technology & Sustainable Watershed Management
  • Profile
  • Research

  • Dr. Kazuo Oki received his Ph.D. in Urban and Regional Planning from University of Tsukuba, Japan in 1997. His previous experiences include stints as a lecturer at Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences of the University of Tokyo, visiting scientist at European Commission, Joint Research Centre of Italy, deputy director for Environment and Energy at the Council for Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (Government of Japan), and as an associate professor at the Institute of Industrial Science at the University of Tokyo.

    Dr. Oki’s research activities concern the development of remote and drone sensing methodology for hydrology, water resources, and crop production, linking to various water quality and biological models with remotely sensed imagery, and also the development and dissemination of an environmentally advanced basin model in Southeast Asia that takes into consideration the balance of water, food and energy in response to climate change.

    Most recently, Dr. Oki was part of a project in Arizona that analyzed growth patterns and optimal growing conditions of pecan nuts. This research was conducted through measurement, specifically capturing images of the plantation through a drone. He has been pioneering the use of drones, which offer abundant benefits over the previously used satellites: higher screen resolution allowing for more detail, higher frequency of measurement (due to daily measurement is possible) as well as the ability to gather data in poor weather conditions. Specifically, in regard to pecan nuts, satellite images cannot capture instances where various types of pecan nuts have mixed. Dr. Oki has even gone so far as to find a working solution to use drones in keeping away crows, who enjoy snacking on the nuts, from the plantation.

    An avid baseball fan, Dr. Oki enjoys watching the Yomiuri Giants, his favorite team.

  • Pecan Nuts: The Key to Japanese Rural Revitalization

    Pecan nuts have been amassing gastronomical fans around the world, from the omnipresent pecan pie to more experimental applications such as maple-pecan pork chops or pecan chicken salad. These nuts are undoubtedly enjoying ever-increasing popularity, but few people know how these complex nuts grow in various conditions. This has been one of the major research topics of Dr. Oki, and he has a grand vision for it in his home country of Japan.

    Having conducted his research in Arizona, he looked at optimal growing conditions and how different types of pecan nuts mix together. This is done through measurement, specifically capturing images of the plantation through a drone. The agricultural sector is seeing a massive shift toward the use of drones, and the benefits over the previously used satellites are abundant: higher screen resolution allowing for more detail, higher frequency of measurement (due to daily measurement being possible) as well as the ability to gather data in poor weather conditions. Specifically, in regard to pecan nuts, satellite images cannot capture instances where various types of pecan nuts have mixed. Dr. Oki has even gone so far as to find a working solution to use drones in keeping away crows, who enjoy snacking on the nuts, from the plantation.

    Now he believes he can replicate optimal growing conditions in Japan, –solving one of the country’s major issues along the way. The aging, declining population in the country has resulted in depopulation in rural areas, and the agricultural sector in particular is taking a fatal blow. Simply put, there are not enough capable farmers, and open, unused land is becoming increasingly common. It is this land that Dr. Oki envisions to be transformed to grow pecan nuts. It is perfect for a multitude of reasons: in addition to finding a use for suitable land that is being unused in rural areas, pecan nuts do not require a great deal of care as they can be planted extensively while being monitored through drones and sensing technology, a point of importance when considering the shrinking workforce in the sector. Furthermore, the nuts possess health benefits that include prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. However, Dr. Oki cannot undertake this task alone. At KUAS, he is eager to develop his knowledge about the nut even further through collaboration with the Department of Bioenvironmental Engineering, –all the while corresponding with local governments and businesses to work toward making his dream a reality.