Atsushi Taketani took up his duties as Executive Officer, Vice President of Overseas Business Division 1 of Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd. (JAPEX) on April 1, 2025.  JAPEX started in 1955 as an exploration, development, and production of oil and natural gas company, expanding its business to other energy fields.  He is now responsible for JAPEX business in North America.  Prior to joining the company in 2024, he served for the Japanese Government for more than 30 years where he was engaged in energy and climate change policy.  In 2019, he served as Chair for Energy Transitions Working Group for G20 Ministerial Meeting on Energy Transitions and Global Environment for Sustainable Growth in Karuizawa, and paved the way for G20 energy ministers to issue Communique and G20 Karuizawa Innovation Action Plan.  He also worked for climate change negotiations, Fukushima nuclear accident compensation, domestic gas market design, and policy planning and implementation for oil refineries and stockpiling,   He holds B.A. from University of Tokyo and M.A. from Stanford University.