Washington – Japan will retain its grip on the position of deputy managing director at the International Monetary Fund after its chief Kristalina Georgieva announced Wednesday that she intends to tap Kenji Okamura, a former top Japanese financial diplomat, for the post.
The IMF said Okamura, 60, will become one of the four deputy managing directors under Georgieva at the Washington-based multilateral lender, effective Dec. 3, succeeding Mitsuhiro Furusawa, who was also a former senior Finance Ministry official.
A Japanese person has filled the post since 1997. The three other deputy IMF managing directors are currently from the United States, China and Liberia.
Since joining the Finance Ministry in 1985, Okamura has held several high-level positions, including vice finance minister for international affairs for one year through July 2021. He is currently serving as special adviser to the prime minister on international economic policies.
His experience also includes secondment to the IMF’s Asia and Pacific Department from 1993 to 1996. He received a bachelor’s degree in law from the University of Tokyo and earned a master’s degree in public policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, according to the IMF.
Furusawa, 65, has been part of the IMF management team since March 2015. His service as deputy managing director will end on Nov. 30.
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