On Thursday, September 24, Consul General of Japan Masaru Tsuji will visit with Global Studies 1 students and have lunch with students in the Asian Literature course prior to speaking at the World Affairs Council annual meeting in the evening.
Mr. Masaru Tsuji arrived in Boston as Consul General of Japan in February 2009. Mr. Tsuji received his Bachelor's Degree from the University of Tokyo's Faculty of Law and is also a graduate of Williams College (class of 1981). He entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in 1978.
Immediately before coming to Boston, Mr. Tsuji held the post of Director General for International Affairs at the Ministry of Defense. He was in charge of security and defense policy, working closely with NATO member countries as well as Asia-Pacific nations on issues of defense cooperation. In the area of security, Mr. Tsuji served as Director of National Security Policy at MOFA (1999-2001).
Prior to his assignment at the Ministry of Defense, Mr. Tsuji was Deputy Director General for Global Issues at MOFA (2005-2007). There, he worked on matters of global concern, including climate change and assistance to developing nations, and served as a board member of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
During his career at MOFA, Mr. Tsuji has developed an expertise in international law and treaties, working on a wide range of issues, including disarmament and international trade. He spent three years at the Cabinet Legislation Bureau (1994-1997) and six years in the Treaties Bureau at MOFA, serving as Director of International Agreements from 1997-1999. Treaties that Mr. Tsuji worked on include the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty. He also served as a negotiator during the Uruguay Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), focusing on issues of intellectual property rights and disputes settlement.
Mr. Tsuji has held posts at the Japanese Embassies in Malaysia (1989-1991), Singapore (2001-2003) and Russia (2003-2005) as well as Japan's Permanent Mission to the United Nations in Geneva (1991-1994).
During his postings abroad, Mr. Tsuji tries to take advantage of opportunities to enjoy the performing arts. He is an amateur sportsman who plays an occasional game of tennis or casual round of golf. He and his wife, Sanae, have a son and a daughter.
