The "Shield School," established by TAC, aims to cultivate professionals who will play a central role in shield tunneling technologies in Japan and abroad. Through hands-on training with actual equipment and practical exercises, participants develop both field-ready capabilities and internationally recognized technical knowledge.
As Japan's first Shield tunneling training institution, the school offers direct instruction from experienced trainers who combine extensive on-site expertise with specialized technical knowledge.
Our school is built upon three core objectives, supporting the growth of diverse talent.
1. To provide learning opportunities for TAC employees and develop shield engineering consultants who can excel on the global stage.
2. To offer training for engineers in Japan and abroad, contributing to safe and reliable shield construction.
3. To provide educational opportunities—including language education—for children in the local community, fostering the next generation of talent.
This three-day program combines hands-on training using actual equipment with lectures directly connected to on-site practices, providing a structured understanding of the realities of shield construction.
（1）Alignment Control (Surveying, Direction Control, Excavation Simulator)
（2）Excavation Management (Earth Pressure Type, Slurry Type, Muck Disposal, Shield Load, Additive Materials)
（3）Backfill Grout Injection Management (Materials, Strength, Injection Pressure, Injection Volume)
（4）Primary Lining Management (Segments, Waterproofing, Excavation Instruction Sheet)
（5）Safety Management & Case Studies of Troubleshooting
| Day 1 (Wednesday) | Day 2 (Thursday) | Day 3 (Friday) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| AM | (Travel) Introduction to Shield Tunneling Methods |
(2) Excavation Management (Earth Pressure Type / Slurry Type) (3) Backfill Grout Injection Management |
(4) Primary Lining Management (5) Safety Management & Troubleshooting Case Studies |
| PM | (1) Alignment Control Excavation Simulator (Actual Machine) |
Additive Material Testing, Slurry Testing, Backfill Material Testing (Practical Training) |
Final Review & Wrap-up (Travel) |
Scheduled for accreditation under the Japan Society of Civil Engineers (JSCE) CPD Program.
The instructors at the Shield School are industry-leading experts who possess both extensive on-site experience and specialized technical knowledge.
Learning directly from practitioners who have been involved in actual construction projects is a unique advantage that sets our program apart.
INSTRUCTOR 01
Technical Advisor, GRI Foundation (Former Vice President, Osaka Metro)
As of October 2025
Born in Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture. Graduated from the Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kyoto University in 1980 and joined the Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau the same year. Appointed Director General in 2016, and Vice President of the current Osaka Metro (transitioned from the Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau to Osaka Metro in 2018) in 2018. Assumed his current position in 2024.
At the Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau, Mr. Shioya worked in the maintenance divisions for subway civil structures and tracks before becoming involved in the construction of new subway lines beginning in 1985. He evaluated the ground deformation effects of Japan's first successfully commercialized two-component plastic backfill injection method—using simultaneous Backfill Grout Injection pipes—developed by the Bureau, contributing to the safe construction of projects adjacent to critical structures (Reference ①).
In 1986, at a slurry shield construction site, he improved the two-component plastic backfill material, enabling the completion of the project on schedule without affecting nearby important structures.
From November 1989, he served at the Bureau's headquarters, primarily engaged in the structural design of shield tunnels. His work also included the structural design of the world's first triple multi-face shield machine. Furthermore, for subway shield tunneling in Osaka's soft ground and densely populated urban areas, he established the standard use of simultaneous Backfill Grout Injection and air-type two-component backfill materials.
Beginning in 2003, he was appointed project manager for the construction of Osaka Metro Line 8, where he supervised shield tunneling for six sections—about half of the entire line. Under his leadership, construction was completed safely and three months ahead of schedule.
His expertise in subway line design and construction led to appointments as a member of technical review committees beyond Osaka beginning in 2006, including projects in Sendai City and Fukuoka City. Within the Japan Society of Civil Engineers (JSCE), he contributed to the revision of the Standard Specifications for Tunnels (1996 edition) and participated in tunnel engineering working groups as a committee member from 2008 to 2016.
Recognized for his extensive experience in urban civil engineering and infrastructure development, he later served as Chair of the JSCE Kansai Branch (2020–2021) and as a JSCE Headquarters Board Member (2022–2024).
〈Main Career History〉
• April 1975 – March 1980
Bachelor's Degree, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kyoto University
• April 1980 – June 2019
Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau
(1) May 1985 – September 1986
Civil Engineering Engineer (Evaluation and impact analysis of ground deformation associated with shield tunneling)
(2) October 1986 – October 1989
Construction Manager at Subway Construction Site (Slurry Shield), including improvement of two-component plastic backfill materials
(3) November 1989 – April 1998
Design / Civil Engineering Engineer (Shield tunnel design, including the structural design of the triple multi-face shield)
(4) April 2003 – March 2005
Director, Subway Construction Site Office (Managed construction of open-cut and shield tunnels covering approximately half of the planned extension section)
(5) April 2016 – March 2018
Director General, Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau
(6) April 2018 – June 2019
Representative Director and Vice President, Osaka Metro
〈Key Qualification〉
• May 1995
Professional Engineer (Construction / Tunnels) Registration No. 32118
〈Selected Publications〉
① Monitoring Control of Adjacent Structures during Slurry Shield Excavation for Osaka Subway Line 7, Kisokō, December 1989
② Osaka Business Park Station and Shield Tunnels (Focusing on Backfill Grout Injection), Lecture Materials of the Kansai Branch of the Japanese Geotechnical Society, 1997
③ Shield Tunneling Through Dense Urban Districts in Osaka Municipal Subway Line 8, Tunnel and Underground, September 2004
INSTRUCTOR 02
President & CEO, TAC Corporation
As of October 2025
Born in Bizen City, Okayama Prefecture. Graduated from the Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kyoto University in 1988 and joined Nishimatsu Construction Co., Ltd. He entered TAC Corporation in 2000 and has served as President & CEO since 2006.
At Kyoto University, Mr. Takigawa studied under Professor Toshihisa Adachi, a leading expert in tunnel engineering. His bachelor's thesis, "Study on the Development of Mechanical Testing Methods for Ultra-Soft Clay," laid the foundation for today's widely used vane shear test, which serves as a key indicator for assessing the plastic flow characteristics in Earth Pressure Balance Shield TBM.
At Nishimatsu Construction, he engaged in quality and construction management for dam concrete projects, followed by four years in the Head Office Design Department, where he worked on both temporary and permanent structural design. He then served for seven years as Chief Engineer for large-scale shield tunneling projects.
TAC Corporation, established in 1976, was the first in the world to develop a two-component Backfill Grout Injection method for shield tunnels. Over the past 50 years, the company has developed a wide range of injection materials—including additives for excavation, peripheral filling materials, and backfill grout—as well as mechanical systems designed to maximize the performance of these materials. TAC has achieved sales performance in more than 1,900 projects in Japan and overseas. In recent years, the company has actively promoted its technological capabilities through achievements such as the 2020 Monodzukuri Nippon Grand Award, the 2021 Japan Construction Technology Award, and the 2023 JSCE Environmental Award.
Since 2017, Mr. Takigawa has served as Chair of the Shield Division of the Thixotropic-gel Grouting Association of Japan. He invited Dr. Yukinori Koyama (Senior Research Fellow, Ritsumeikan University Research Organization of Science and Technology) as Technical Advisor and led the first revision of the technical manual in ten years.
〈Main Career History〉
• April 1984 – March 1988
Bachelor's Degree, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kyoto University
• April 1988 – June 2000
Nishimatsu Construction Co., Ltd.
(1) April 1989 – May 1993
Head Office Design Department (Temporary and permanent structures; design studies for mountain tunnels and shield tunnel impact assessment)
(2) June 1993 – April 1999
Chief Engineer, Neyagawa South Underground Floodway / Kami Regulation Reservoir Construction Project, Osaka Prefecture
Slurry Shield TBM — Shield Diameter: Φ8.31 m, Length: 2,830 m
(3) May 1999 – June 2000
Chief Engineer, Katsuragawa Right-Bank Sewerage Main Trunk Tunnel Project, Kyoto Prefecture
Slurry Shield TBM — Shield Diameter: Φ9.5 m, Length: 935 m
• July 2000 – Present
TAC Corporation
(1) July 2000 – March 2004
Director / General Manager, Planning Division
(2) April 2004 – March 2006
Senior Managing Director / General Manager, Corporate Division
(3) April 2006 – Present
President & CEO
〈Key Qualifications〉
• April 1997
Professional Engineer (Construction / Tunnels), Registration No. 35824
• October 2002
APEC Engineer / Civil (JP-1-001869) and Structural (JP-1-001870)
〈Selected Publications & Patents〉
• 2003
Sharp-Curve Excavation Method (Clay Shock & Mini-Packer Method – No Ground Improvement Required from Surface) — Patent No. 3715968
• 2016
Slurry Treatment Method and Slurry Treatment System for Slurry Shield Tunneling — Patent No. 6775136
• 2016
Backfill Grout Injection Device (Fourth-Generation Injection Pipe for Shield Machines) — Patent No. 6261684
• 2016
Foam Shield Method (Environmentally Superior Foaming Agent for Large-Diameter Shields with Enhanced Plastic Flowability) — Patent No. 6632955
• 2017
Backfill Material Retention Method and Backfill Grout Injection System (Pressure Retention During Excavation Stop) — Patent No. 6479868
• 2017
Manufacturing Method for Tunnel Backfill Grout (Air-Mortar–Type Backfill Material for High-Pressure / Freezing Conditions) — Patent No. 6860142
• 2019
Tunnel Water-Sealing Method, Water-Sealing System, and Sealing Material (Clay Shock Hard) — Patent No. 6632018
INSTRUCTOR 03
General Manager, Safety & Technical Division, TAC Corporation
As of October 2025
Born in Aki District, Kochi Prefecture. Graduated from the Department of Civil Engineering, Kochi National College of Technology in 1974 and worked for 41 years at Fujita Corporation.
He joined TAC Corporation in 2015 and continues to serve in his current position.
At Fujita Corporation, Mr. Oi spent his first 15 years as a field engineer for shield construction, gaining experience in compressed-air hand mining, slurry shields, and earth pressure shields. Beginning in 1980, he was involved in the technical development of the ribbon-screw slurry shield method, where the challenge and excitement of continuously discharging cobbles and coarse gravel while maintaining face stability became the foundation of his career as a shield engineer.
He subsequently spent 26 years at Fujita's Head Office, supporting field operations and technological development for shield tunneling and pipe jacking methods. During this period, he also actively engaged with shield engineers from other companies through working groups and committees of the Japan Society of Civil Engineers (JSCE) and the Japan Tunnelling Association (JTA).
At TAC, as General Manager of Safety & Technical Division, he primarily conducts monthly safety and health patrols and participates in coordination meetings for shield construction projects entrusted to TAC in eastern Japan. On the technical side, he is responsible for submitting TAC's new technology applications (NETIS, NNTD), with seven registrations completed to date. He continues to promote the dissemination of TAC technologies both inside and outside the company.
〈Main Career History〉
• April 1969 – March 1974
Department of Civil Engineering, Kochi National College of Technology
• April 1974 – January 2015
Fujita Corporation
(1) April 1974 – March 1989
Engaged in nine shield construction projects at the Yokohama Branch, Metropolitan Civil Engineering Branch, Kanto Branch, and Hiroshima Branch
• Tama Sewer Main Line No.13 Construction
• Shukugawara Sewer Main Line No.3 Construction
• Tenjingawa Basin Sewerage Project Kurayoshi Main Trunk Installation (Section 6)
• Saitama Aiguchi Phase II Arakawa Connecting Waterway Yoshiki Section 1, etc.
(2) April 1989 – January 2015
Shield Group, Production Technology Department, Civil Engineering Division
• Field support, technical development, and engineering proposals
• Development of technologies including Ring-Lock Segments, foaming agent "Kankyo No.8", and defoaming agent "FT-01"
• Participation in JSCE "Construction Robotics Committee" and JTA "Q&A on Shield Construction," among others
• March 2015 – Present
General Manager, Safety & Technical Division, TAC Corporation
• Safety patrols at the Techno Center and other sites during National Safety Week (July) and National Occupational Health Week (October)
• Technical development, patent applications, technical publications, and preparation of applications for various award and evaluation programs
〈Key Qualifications〉
• February 1990
Professional Engineer (Construction / Tunnels), Registration No. 23315
• March 1993
Labor Safety Consultant (Civil Engineering), No. 250
• July 2016
Certified Disaster Prevention Specialist, No. 113315
• May 2020
Class-1 Health Supervisor, No. 60080084201
〈Selected Publications〉
①“Fluidized Soil Transport and Gelled Foam in Boulder Layers Through Development of Defoaming Agents,” Japan Project Research, 2012
②“Natural Defoaming Characteristics and Case Studies Using a New Foaming Agent for the Foam Shield Method,” JSCE Annual Conference (69th), 2014
③“Pursuit of Zero Ground Settlement in Shield Tunneling: Low-Projection Mixed-Type Simultaneous Backfill Grout Injection Device,” Monthly Sewerage, August 2021
INSTRUCTOR 04
President, Hirono Shield Tunnel Engineering Co., Ltd.
As of October 2025
Born in Ibaraki City, Osaka Prefecture. Graduated from the Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Yamanashi in 1982 and joined Okumura Corporation. He was appointed President of Okumura Machinery Manufacturing Co., Ltd. in June 2020, later became Senior Advisor in April 2025, and established his current company in June 2025.
At Okumura Corporation, Mr. Hirono engaged in various urban tunneling projects, including shield tunneling, pipe jacking, and open-cut excavation. In shield tunneling, he primarily worked on sewer conduit construction, participating in five shield projects during the early period of articulating shields. These included a tight-radius slurry shield project with a 30 m curve and the dual-horizontal earth-pressure shield method (DOT Method). The hands-on learning—often through trial and error—during this period became the foundation of his current technical expertise.
He subsequently worked on large-scale open-cut excavation for underground parking structures, design work, and Taipei Metro construction in Taiwan.
In 2005, he completed a highly challenging large-diameter (3,000 mm) pipe jacking project in ultra-soft ground with an N-value of zero, involving both side-connection and face-connection tunneling joints of the same diameter. He continued to work on rapid-execution projects and compact shield tunneling, and from 2014 onward served as General Manager of the Civil Engineering Technology Department, General Manager of the Machinery Department, and General Manager of the Civil Engineering Department, where he led technical proposals as well as design and construction guidance.
In October 2019, he was seconded to Okumura Machinery Manufacturing Co., Ltd., a shield machine manufacturer, and became its President in June 2020. Leveraging his deep knowledge of geology, he championed the philosophy of "building robust shield machines," leading the top-producing shield machine manufacturer in Japan.
He served as a technical committee member of the Shield Method Technology Association in 2014–2015 and contributed as an author to the 2016 publication "History of Shield Technology" issued by the Japan Tunnelling Association. He has also served on subcommittees of the Japan Construction Machinery and Construction Association.
〈Main Career History〉
• April 1977 – March 1982
Bachelor's Degree, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Yamanashi
• April 1982 – September 2019
Okumura Corporation
(1) April 1982 – May 1993
Construction management for shield projects in Chiba Prefecture and works within steel plants
• Tight-radius slurry shield tunneling (30 m curve radius)
• Dual-horizontal shield tunneling (DOT Method), etc.
(2) May 1993 – February 2005
Engaged in underground parking structure projects, civil engineering design, and Taipei Metro construction
• Monitoring and back-analysis of earth-retaining wall deformation in large-scale open-cut construction
• Temporary work planning and seismic verification for shield tunnel segments
• Overseas project experience
(3) March 2005 – March 2014
Nagoya City pipe jacking projects, steel plant construction, pipeline projects, and sewerage works
• Same-diameter underground side-connection and face-connection in large-diameter pipe jacking
• Design and construction management of factory foundations
• Rapid shield tunneling projects and compact shield tunneling
(4) April 2014 – June 2020
Held consecutive positions as General Manager of the Civil Engineering Technology Department, General Manager of the Machinery Department, and General Manager of the Civil Engineering Department
• October 2019 – June 2025
Okumura Machinery Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
(1) October 2019 – June 2025
General Manager, Quality Control Department / Vice President
(2) June 2020 – March 2025
President & CEO
(3) April 2025 – June 2025
Director / Senior Advisor
• June 2025 – Present
President, Hirono Shield Tunnel Engineering Co., Ltd.
〈Key Qualification〉
• Professional Engineer (Construction / Tunnels; Water Supply & Sewerage / Sewerage; Applied Science / Geology)
Registration No. 33374
〈Selected Publications〉
① "Same-Diameter Underground Side-Connection and Face-Connection in Ultra-Soft Ground Pipe Jacking," 61st Construction Experience Presentation (Urban), September 2007
② "Civil Engineering Sites and the New Year Season," Doboku Gijutsu Monthly, January 2019
③ "Shield Tunneling and Curvature — Techniques for Excavating Curved Alignments," Doboku Gijutsu Monthly, May 2021
INSTRUCTOR 05
Senior Chief Engineer, Maeda Corporation
As of October 2025
Born in Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture. Graduated from the Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kyoto University in 1982 and joined Maeda Corporation.
At Maeda Corporation, Mr. Yasumitsu has been involved in a wide range of urban tunneling projects—including shield tunneling, pipe jacking, and open-cut excavation—primarily at the Kansai Branch. His shield tunneling work began with sewer conduit construction and later expanded to underground transmission cable ducts and subway tunnels. In 2009, he was transferred to the Head Office, where he served as Manager of the Shield Group, providing technical support for all shield tunneling projects across the company. Since 2020, he has returned to the Kansai Branch, supporting shield construction projects throughout western Japan.
From the early development of ribbon-type screw conveyors in gravel layers, he has worked extensively on shield tunneling and contributed to the automation of shield construction using new segment types. In subway projects, he conducted full-scale loading tests for the new segment design, verified its seismic performance, and subsequently oversaw its adoption—resulting in high-quality primary lining construction. As Manager of the Shield Group, he later provided support for shield tunneling projects both nationwide and overseas, formulating root-cause analyses and countermeasures for various technical challenges encountered on site.
Within the Japan Society of Civil Engineers (JSCE), he served on the revision committee for the 2016 Standard Specifications for Tunnels [Shield Method Edition]. He also contributed as an author to the 2016 History of Shield Technology published by the Japan Tunnelling Association.
〈Main Career History〉
• April 1978 – March 1982
Bachelor's Degree, Department of Civil Engineering, Kyoto University
• April 1982 – July 2025
Maeda Corporation
(1) April 1982 – May 1987
Construction management for sewer shield tunneling projects in Hyogo and Osaka Prefectures
• Earth-pressure shield tunneling in boulder layers and methane-generating ground
(2) June 1987 – May 1989
Construction management for major civil works at a nuclear power plant
• Large-scale open-cut excavation and structural construction near an operating reactor building
• Construction of seawater pipe culverts and associated structures
(3) June 1989 – March 2006
Chief Supervising Engineer for underground transmission cable pipe jacking and shield tunneling in Osaka Prefecture and Osaka City, including subway stations and shield tunnels
• φ3.0 m compressed-air assisted open-face pipe jacking
• Automation of deep (60 m cover) and long-distance (2,000 m) shield tunneling
[Awarded the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Progress Prize]
• Full-scale loading tests and implementation of new subway segment types
[Awarded the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare Encouragement Prize]
(4) April 2006 – March 2009
Deputy General Manager, Civil Engineering Department, Kansai Branch
• Technical proposal preparation for comprehensive evaluation bidding
(5) April 2009 – March 2020
Manager, Shield Group, Civil Engineering Division, Head Office
• Technical support for Maeda's shield tunneling projects in Japan and overseas
• Instructor for safety programs of the Japan Construction Safety and Health Association
• April 2020 – Present
Senior Chief Engineer / Division Manager for Shield Tunneling, Civil Engineering Sales Department, Kansai Branch
〈Key Qualifications〉
• March 2007
Labor Safety Consultant (Civil Engineering), No. 223
• April 2024
Certified Concrete Diagnostician, No. 07350723
〈Selected Publications〉
② High-Speed Automatic Machines for Shield Work, ITA World Tunnel Congress, Oslo, May 1999
③ Seismic Performance Assessment and Full-Scale Loading Test of Cotter Quick-Joint Segments, Tunnel Engineering Conference, June 2002
④ Occupational Safety and Health Management in Subway Construction Sites, 43rd National Construction Industry Occupational Safety Conference, 2006
TEL：+81-869-84-2069
Phone Hours:：Weekdays 9:00–17:00 (JST)
FAX：+81-869-84-3288