Mr. Okano Masataka previously served as Japan’s National Security Advisor, advising the Prime Minister and overseeing national security policy across various domains. He has held several senior government positions, including Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs and Deputy National Security Advisor/Assistant Chief Cabinet Secretary, in which he contributed to drafting the 2022 National Security Strategy and preparing Japan’s cybersecurity legislation. He also served as the Ministry’s Legal Adviser. Moreover, Mr. Okano served as Political Minister at the Embassy of Japan in Washington, D.C., where he managed the Japan-U.S. alliance during the Obama and Trump administrations (2015 2018). His other assignments at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs included Director for Russian Affairs, as well as overseas postings in Beijing and Paris. Mr. Okano holds a B.A. in Law from the University of Tokyo and an International Diploma in Public Administration from the École nationale d’administration (ENA) in France.