Satoshi Suzuki is next ambassador to India, Bhutan; to join office on Nov 1

NEW DELHI. Satoshi Suzuki, head of the Foreign Policy Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan would be the next ambassador to India and Bhutan.

His previous overseas positions include South Korea, United Kingdom, and Indonesia.

An authority on security, intelligence and foreign policy, the 60-year old Satoshi Suzuki will replace Kenji Hiramatsu, the present Ambassador of India and Bhutan, and assume his office from November 1.

Kenji Hiramatsu who is completing almost four years in India and will remain in the office here till October 22, has been appointed as ambassador to Spain.

The decision of appointing Satoshi Suzuki as the new ambassador to India was take in the Cabinet meeting held on September 27 in Japan.  The decision was also taken about the new ambassador to Malaysia also. Hiroshi Oka, Director, Middle East Africa Bureau, will move to become the Ambassador of Malaysia.

Prior to being head of the Foreign Policy Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Satoshi Suzuki was Deputy Minister for Foreign Policy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan.

Policy planning, policy coordination, national security policy, United Nations and other international organizations, global issues such as cybersecurity, outer space and terrorism were some of the key portfolios is has worked on.

Suzuki has earlier served as Director-General, Intelligence, and Analysis Service, and provided regular intelligence briefings to the Foreign Minister and Vice-Minister on regional and international strategic issues.

A post-graduate of the School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, Suzuki joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1984. He graduated from the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies the same year.

He held various positions such as Principal Deputy Director, First North America Division; Director, Non-proliferation and Nuclear Energy Division; and Director, First Intelligence and Analysis Division.

Suzuki served as Executive Assistant to the Chief Cabinet Secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office during 2006-2008.

From 2009 to 2014, he worked at the International Atomic Energy Agency as Special Assistant to the Director-General. He held various senior positions such as Deputy Director-General, European Affairs Bureau, Deputy Director-General, Intelligence and Analysis Service, and Assistant Vice-Minister for Crisis Management 2014 and 2016.