Takehiko Iijima
Takehiko Iijima has been a member of the IPFA Board representing Japanese Blood Products Organisation, the Japanese fractionator, since October 2017, when he joined the Board meeting in San Diego. Since his appointment, he has not missed one of the meetings, held about twice a year. His journeys might have been swift, but Ta-Ke was always there.
IPFA really appreciated his contribution to the Board, bringing information about JB pathways and presenting the situation in Japan, as well as his great skill of fostering meaningful exchanges, bridging people and organisations, and not least, his never fading enthusiasm, and kindness.
Beside shaping the programs for several IPFA Asia Workshops, his connection with IPFA brought about numerous fruitful collaborations, including helping co-host the APPLN (Asia Pacific Plasma Leaders Network) meeting, establishing training opportunities for JB personnel at Sanquin Plasma Products, introducing Japanese Red Cross Society representatives to LFB Board members of IPFA ahead of their visit to the two actors of the French Blood Organisation, LFB and EFS, and recently strongly supporting for the TBSF (Taiwan Blood Services Foundation) to become a member of IPFA, to name only these. Driven by a vision for the future of JB and the broader plasma derivatives industry in Japan, he was always keen to exchange views and gather intelligence with fellow IPFA members and participants at numerous symposiums. At a point, his ideal was to establish an IPFA Asian office in Thailand! Looking to the collaboration of IPFA member organizations and secretariat, he also arranged local field trips and discussions and was happy to greatly enriched JB’s current intellectual asset regarding international blood and plasma services.
Until he graduated from high school, Ta-Ke grew up in a rural area about 80 kilometres north of Tokyo. Back then, there were many rice paddies, and compared to Tokyo, there was an abundance of nature that he enjoyed. He later attended Waseda University in Tokyo, one of Japan’s highest-ranked private universities, where he actually majored in commerce. In 1989, Ta-ke joined Japan’s largest chemical company and, at his own request, was assigned to the pharmaceuticals division. Although the company had various chemical-related divisions—such as petrochemicals, fertilizers, and resins—the pharmaceuticals division was still relatively new. Because Ta-Ke believed it would grow when considering Japan’s future, he chose this one, and this is how the pharmaceutical field entered his life. Since then, he consistently remained happily in the ethical sector.
Ta-Ke entered the plasma derivatives sphere in 2010, playing a key role in the secretariat that established Japan Blood Products Organization (JB). Throughout his career at JB, he was instrumental in shaping the organization’s international strategy from the ground up and went on to head the international business section.
Recent internal arrangements at JB have led to Ta-Ke concluding his activities with IPFA. However, he is not stepping away from the plasma fractionation field. He intends to stay closely connected to this industry with the very same passion he has always shown.
His new role is now Deputy Manager in the External Relations Section at the Corporate Management Department. His interpersonal skills will serve him and JB very well.
Although very concentrated during the board meetings, taking notes in a very studious manner, with an almost school-like demeanour, and discretely talkative, Ta-Ke is a lovely person, friendly and very generous. Gifts of special Japanese teas gently offered to some of us at the Speakers receptions of the IPFA workshops, remain a sweat note in his IPFA career.
Secretly to us, Ta-Ke embraced running in 2021 and proudly completed a full marathon in 2022! Recognizing the positive impact of running on his well-being, he continues to stay active and has recently taken up hiking in low mountains around 1,500 meters. He also looks forward to his annual travels to Europe with his heartfelt wife. We had opportunity to meet in Paris, and we have promised to continue this connection. His path to IPFA will remain in our board meetings and gatherings.