CONSUL GENERAL KEN OKANIWA
Stanley Paul Harper/Naval Supply Systems Command
Ken Okaniwa, Consul General of Japan in Miami
Mr. Okaniwa was appointed Consul General of Japan in
Miami on 1 October 2015.
Having joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1984, Mr.
Okaniwa has extensive experience in multilateral negotiations,
development policy, public diplomacy and crisis management. He was the Director in
charge of climate change when Japan ratified the Kyoto Protocol in 2002. From 2003 to
2006, he was the Director in charge of multilateral development institutions, including
the World Bank, UNDP and OECD/DAC, development policy, the ODA White Paper and
aid evaluation.
As regards overseas postings, he has been posted to the Permanent Mission of Japan to
the United Nations (1994-1998) as First Secretary, initially in charge of the Second
Committee/ECOSOC; then later in charge of the Security Council. At the Embassy of
Japan in Zambia (1998-1999), he was deputy head of mission. At the Embassy in Jakarta
(2006-2008), he was Minister in charge of economic affairs. At the Embassy in London
(2008-2011), he was Minister and head of the Japan Information and Cultural Centre.
And at the Embassy in Pretoria (2011-2013), he was Minister in charge of economic
affairs and deputy head of mission.
Upon his return to Tokyo in 2013, he served as Councillor in charge of security and crisis
management at the Cabinet Secretariat. In October 2014, he was transferred back to the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was appointed Deputy Director-General in charge of
international cooperation as well as the press, culture and public diplomacy. In June-July
2015, he was relieved from work relating to the press, culture and public diplomacy,
while African and Middle Eastern affairs were added to his existing responsibilities on
international cooperation.
Mr. Okaniwa received a B.A. in Law at Hitotsubashi University, and a B.A. degree in
Modern History from Merton College, Oxford University.
