The Hon. Junichi Ihara

Acting Deputy Chief of Mission and Head of the Economic Section, Embassy of Japan, Washington, D.C.

Biographical Data

Present Position: Acting Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Japan, Washington, D.C.

Concurrently: Minister of Economic Affairs, Embassy of Japan, Washington, D.C.

Date of Birth: April 18, 1956

Education: Graduated from Kyoto University, Bachelor of Law, 1979

Languages: Japanese, English, French

Career outline

1979 Entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Tokyo

1979 Trainee, North Asia Division, MOFA

1980 Attaché, Embassy of Japan, France

1982 Second Secretary, Embassy of Japan, France

1984 Officer, First Southeast Asia Division, MOFA

1986 Assistant Director, GATT Division, MOFA

1989 Deputy Director, First North America Division, MOFA

1992 First Secretary, Embassy of Japan, Republic of the Philippines

1994 Deputy Director, Personnel Division, MOFA

1995 Secretary to the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, MOFA

1997 Director, First Southeast Asia Division, MOFA

1999 Director, WTO Division, MOFA

2002 Director, Financial Affairs Division, MOFA

2004 Deputy Director-General, Office of Inspection, MOFA

2004 Fellow, Weatherhead Center for International Affairs (WCFIA), Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Family: Married - two sons