He is the President of ERIA (Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia), an international organization established by the Leaders of East Asia Summit (EAS) Member in 2008.

He previously served as the Special Advisor to the Japanese Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry. In a public service career spanning over 30 years in Japan, he held senior roles including Director-General for Trade Policy at the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI), Cabinet Counsellor at the Headquarters for the TPP, and Counsellor at the Permanent Delegation of Japan to the OECD. He also served as Vice President of the Research Institute of Economy, Trade, and Industry (RIETI), one of Japan’s leading policy think tanks. From 2020 to 2024, he was a Visiting Professor at the Graduate School of Public Policy, the University of Tokyo.

His areas of expertise include regional integration, energy security, geopolitics, trade policy, and economics security. He regularly adviseds senior leaders and policymakers across Asia. Currently, he serves on the Board of Advisors in several prominent institutions such as Cambodia Development Resource Institute (CDRI), Global South Research Center (GSRC), and International Industry Advisory Council (IIAC).

He holds degrees from the University of Tokyo and Columbia Law School.