Jun Okumura
Counselor
Since 2006, Jun Okumura has been a counselor for Eurasia Group, where he provides insight and guidance to the research team on Japanese politics.
Mr. Okumura is a 30-year veteran of the Japanese civil service, most recently serving as president of the Manufactured Imports and Investment Promotion Organization (MIPRO), an organization working closely with the Japanese government. He earned a master in comparative law degree from Harvard Law School in 1981, and during his career with the Japanese ministry of trade (now METI), he played a crucial role in several bilateral and multilateral negotiations, including UNCLOS II, and as the lead METI negotiator for trade in services in the Uruguay Round.
His work in the civil service has included postings and travel in the Americas, Europe, Africa, and of course Asia, and he has headed a number of Japanese governmental enterprises and agencies such as the International Cooperation Center at the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO); METI's Trade Finance Division, where he served during the Asian financial crisis; management and regional portfolios at the Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund (now part of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation); and as president of JETRO New York, where, in the aftermath of 11 September 2001, he led the Japanese business community's efforts to assist evacuated Japanese businesses and consular institutions. Mr. Okumura spent some of his formative years in Canada, and is completely bilingual in English and Japanese. He comments regularly in print and broadcast media, and also writes a blog mainly about Japanese politics.