Koichiro Matsumoto
Koichiro joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA) after graduating from Keio University with a law degree. In his earlier career he held various positions as Deputy Director in-charge of nonproliferation issues, foreign press, the G8/G20 Summit (Japan’s Sherpa assistant) and national security issues. After finishing his three-year term as Counsellor at the Delegation of Japan to the OECD in Paris (2013-16), where he assumed the position of Vice Chairman of the OECD Working Party of the Trade Committee, he took up duties at the National Security Secretariat (NSS) as Counsellor in charge of Middle East, Central Asia, Maritime Security and Nonproliferation between 2016 and 2018. In 2018, he assumed the position of Senior Foreign Policy Coordinator at Policy Coordination Division, MOFA. He was then assigned to enhance international cooperation for the peaceful use of nuclear as Director for International Nuclear Cooperation, MOFA (2019-2020). Between August 2020 and July 2022 he was Deputy Cabinet Secretary for Public Affairs at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), overseeing government-wide public relations issues serving for three prime ministers (Mr Shinzo Abe, Mr Yoshihide Suga and Mr Fumio Kishida). During his tenure at the PMO, he made numerous appearances in the foreign media including BBC World (Live with Lucy Hockings, etc), Sky News (Breakfast with Kay Burley), BBC Radio (News Hour), Al Jazeera, Euronews, WION India, CNA Singapore, EFE, and RAI. After overseeing global issues as Director, Global Issues Cooperation in MOFA (2022-23), he has been in the current position since July 2023.
Apart from the Law degree, he also holds a Master of Arts degree on Modern History at University of Oxford, where he spent his memorable two years at Trinity College.