DSF member of the month - Akio Ogasahara
For November 2025, we welcome Akio Ogasahara as our DSF member of the month! ⭐
Akio is a technical writer and systems engineer. He contributed to the Japanese translation for many years. He has been a DSF member since June 2025. You can learn more about Akio by visiting Akio's X account and his GitHub Profile.
Let’s spend some time getting to know Akio better!
Can you tell us a little about yourself (hobbies, education, etc.)
I was born in 1986 in Rochester, Minnesota, to Japanese parents, and I’ve lived in Japan since I was one. I’ve been fascinated by machines for as long as I can remember. I hold a master’s degree in mechanical engineering. I’ve worked as a technical writer and a software PM, and I’m currently in QA at a Japanese manufacturer.
I'm curious, where does your nickname “libratech” come from?
I often used “Libra” as a handle because the symbol of Libra—a balanced scale—reflects a value I care deeply about: fairness in judgment. I combined that with “tech,” from “tech writer,” to create “libratech.”
How did you start using Django?
Over ten years ago, I joined a hands-on workshop using a Raspberry Pi to visualize sensor data, and we built the dashboard with Django. That was my first real experience.
What other framework do you know and if there is anything you would like to have in Django if you had magical powers?
I’ve used Flask and FastAPI. If I could wish for anything, I’d love “one-click” deployment that turns a Django project into an ultra-lightweight app running on Cloudflare Workers.
What projects are you working on now?
As a QA engineer, I’m building Pandas pipelines for quality-data cleansing and creating BI dashboards.
What are you learning about these days?
I’m studying for two Japanese certifications: the Database Specialist exam and the Quality Control Examination (QC Kentei).
Which Django libraries are your favorite (core or 3rd party)?
Django admin, without question. In real operations, websites aren’t run only by programmers—most teams eventually need CRM-like capabilities. Django admin maps beautifully to that practical reality.
What are the top three things in Django that you like?
- Django admin
- Strong security
- DRY by design
You have contributed a lot on the Japanese documentation, what made you contribute to translate for the Japanese language in the first place?
I went through several joint surgeries and suddenly had a lot of time. I’d always wanted to contribute to open source, but I knew my coding skills weren’t my strongest asset. I did, however, have years of experience writing manuals—so translation felt like a meaningful way to help.
Do you have any advice for people who could be hesitant to contribute to translation of Django documentation?
Translation has fewer strict rules than code contributions, and you can start simply by creating a Transifex account. If a passage feels unclear, improve it! And if you have questions, the Django-ja translation team is happy to help on our Discord.
I know you have some interest in AI as a technical writer, do you have an idea on how Django could evolve with AI?
Today’s AI is excellent at working with existing code—spotting N+1 queries or refactoring SQL without changing behavior. But code written entirely by AI often has weak security. That’s why solid unit tests and Django’s strong security guardrails will remain essential: they let us harness AI’s creativity safely.
Django is celebrating its 20th anniversary, do you have a nice story to share?
The surgeries were tough, but they led me to documentation translation, which reconnected me with both English and Django. I’m grateful for that path.
What are your hobbies or what do you do when you’re not working?
Outside of computers, I enjoy playing drums in a band and watching musicals and stage plays! 🎵
Is there anything else you’d like to say?
If you ever visit Japan, of course sushi and ramen are great—but don’t miss the sweets and ice creams you can find at local supermarkets and convenience stores! They’re inexpensive, come in countless varieties, and I’m sure you’ll discover a new favorite!🍦
Thank you for doing the interview, Akio !
