Prof. Yorizumi Watanabe (Alumnus 1977)

Faculty of Policy Management, Keio University (Tokio, Japan)

Biography

Following several appointments in Japan's foreign service, specializing in international trade policy issues, Professor Watanabe has now brought those skills and experience to the senior academic post he has filled at Keio University since 2005. Prof. Watanabe’s distinguished career has featured significant engagement in all the major bilateral and multilateral trade negotiations in which Japan has been involved in the past two decades. This included the role of policy advisor to relevant Ministries, and postings to Japan's diplomatic missions in Brussels and Geneva. He was Deputy Director-General of the Economic Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan from 2002-2004 and served as Chief Negotiator for the Japan-Mexico Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and the Working Party on Russia’s Accession to the WTO. He was Special Assistant to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan in 2004. In addition, Prof. Watanabe has been appointed Statutory Auditor at Mitsubishi Fuso Truck & Bus Co. Ltd since April 2015.