Dr. Ishitani graduated from the University of Tokyo, Faculty of Engineering, in 1964 and received a Ph.D. in 1969. He joined the Institute of Space and Aeronautical Science, the University of Tokyo, in 1969 and moved to the Faculty of Engineering in 1989. Until 2002, he was a professor at the Department of Geosystem engineering. Since 2002, he is a professor of Graduate School of Media and Governance at Keio University. His research interest is cover control system theory to interdisciplinary areas regarding technologies in energy systems to cope with environmental issues, especially Climate Change. In the Institute of Space and Aeronautical Science, he took charge of R&D of the attitude control and radio guidance systems of sounding rockets. Later, his research interests were focused on system analysis and evaluation of energy supply systems as well as low emission high efficiency road vehicles, such as battery electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles and fuel cell vehicles. He was a convening lead author of Energy Supply section of WG2 of IPCC Second Assessment Report drafting team.

He is currently a member of the Council of Energy Resources and Policies, and Council of Industrial Structure, METI, and responsible for energy saving policies.