Asako Okai is a Japanese diplomat and UN official currently serving as the ambassador of Japan in Bahrain.[1] She started her career at the UN as assistant administrator at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and director for the UNDP Crisis Bureau, and became United Nations Assistant Secretary-General in 2018.[2][3] During her time at the USDP, she was in charge of the UNDP’s corporate crisis-related work.
Asako Okai | |
|---|---|
岡井朝子 おかい あさこ | |
 | |
| United Nations Assistant Secretary-General | |
| Assumed office June 6, 2018 | |
| Appointed by | António Guterres |
| Preceded by | Izumi Nakamitsu |
| United Nations Development Programme Assistant Administrator and Director for Crisis Bureau | |
| Assumed office June 6, 2018 | |
| Appointed by | António Guterres |
| Preceded by | Izumi Nakamitsu |
| Consul General of Japan in Canada | |
| In office September 2016 – June 2018 | |
| Appointed by | Fumio Kishida |
| Preceded by | Seiji Okada |
| Succeeded by | Takashi Hatori |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1966 Tokyo |
| Citizenship |  Japanese |
| Education | Hitotsubashi University Emmanuel College of Cambridge University |
Personal life
editAsako Okai was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1966. Her father was a reporter for the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, a Japanese newspaper.[4] She attended school in Washington, DC from the fifth grade until the 11th grade when she returned to Japan.[5]
She is married.[6]
Education
editOkai completed her secondary education at Tokyo Gakugei University High School.[5] In 1989, she graduated from Hitotsubashi University with a bachelor’s degree in law. At Hitotsubashi, she was a member the Yasuo Sugihara seminar group.[7] In 1992, Okai completed a master’s of arts in art history at Emmanuel College, Cambridge University.[7]
Career
editJapan government
edit
Asako Okai entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and held various positions throughout her career.[8] She worked in divisions related to culture, economic cooperation, policy planning, and international cooperation.[8] Some notable positions included deputy director of the Western Europe Division, First Secretary at the Embassy of Japan in Pakistan deputy director of Australia Division, Director of the Policy Division in the Economic Cooperation Bureau, and Director of the Humanitarian Assistance Division.[2][8]
In 2010, she served as Minister Counselor (Political Affairs) at the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations and was a Senior Policy Coordinator in the Office of the President of the 66th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in 2011. In 2012, she continued her role as Minister Counselor (Political Affairs) at the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations.[9]
In 2014, Okai became the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Japan in Sri Lanka and concurrently served in the Maldives. In 2016, she became the first female Consul General of Japan in Canada, holding the position in Vancouver.[4]
United Nations
editIn 2018, she served as Minister at the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations. Later, she took on roles as Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations, Assistant Administrator and Deputy Director-General of the United Nations Development Programme.[7]
Okai also served as the second director of the Crisis Response Bureau of UNDP(former Crisis Response Unit), where she played a role in formulating cooperation plans with other agencies.[7]
References
edit- ^ "Information Minister receives Japanese Ambassador". Bahrain News Agency. 1 February 2024.
- ^ a b "Secretary-General Appoints Asako Okai of Japan Assistant Administrator, Director, United Nations Development Programme's Crisis Response Unit | UN Press". United Nations Meetings Coverage and Press Releases. 2018-06-06. Retrieved 2023-09-19.
- ^ "The Latest @ USIP: A New Framework for Global Development and Security". United States Institute of Peace. Retrieved 2023-09-19.
- ^ a b "岡井朝子在バンクーバー日本国総領事インタビュー その１ - Oops!うっぷす カナダ・バンクーバー情報誌". Oops!うっぷす カナダ・バンクーバー情報誌 (in Japanese). 2017-06-11. Retrieved 2023-09-19.
- ^ a b "社会の諸課題を解決するトータルソリューション力の追求を | ピックアップ". 一橋大学 HQウェブマガジン (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-09-19.
- ^ "Asako Okai". World Justice Project. Retrieved 2023-09-28.
- ^ a b c d "Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator and Director of the Crisis Bureau | United Nations Secretary-General". www.un.org. Retrieved 2023-09-19.
- ^ a b c "略歴 岡井朝子" (PDF). Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Japan) (in Japanese).
- ^ "日系女性企業家協会 20 周年記念講演会" (PDF). 日系女性企業家協会 (in Japanese). 2017-09-28. Retrieved 2023-07-19.