Akira Yabumoto is Executive Officer responsible for Global Energy Strategy at J-POWER (Electric Power Development Co., Ltd.). Since joining the company in 1989, he has worked across regulatory affairs, policy analysis, corporate planning, and strategic business development in the evolving electricity and energy markets. From 1995 to 1997, he was a Visiting Researcher at MIT’s Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research (CEEPR), where he conducted research on electricity industry restructuring. His work contributed to J-POWER’s internal analysis during the period of privatization and market liberalization in Japan. From 2009 to 2011, he was seconded to the International Energy Agency (IEA) Secretariat in Paris as an Energy Analyst in the Country Studies Division, where he participated in In-Depth Reviews of the electricity sectors of four IEA member countries. After returning to Tokyo, he worked on international business development, including projects in the Indian market, as well as corporate planning and market analysis. He currently supports J-POWER’s senior management by providing informed analysis and insights on key global energy policy, market, and geopolitical trends, and by helping facilitate senior-level engagement with international energy organizations, policy experts, and industry leaders. He also leads a cross-functional team working on Blue Hydrogen and overseas CCS development initiatives. He has spoken at and participated in international energy conferences and policy discussions, offering a practitioner’s perspective on energy markets, energy security, and the energy transition