Vice-Minister for International Affairs

MATSUO Takehiko

36 years of experience working for the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) as well as Cabinet Office and other agencies.

Mr. Matsuo Takehiko has been serving as Vice Minister for International Affairs at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) since July 2024. He leads all of METI’s international policy operations and represents the ministry in cross-border economic dialogues and negotiations. 

Prior to his current position, Mr. Matsuo served as Director-General, Trade Policy Bureau in July 2021, responsible for METI's trade policy and international economic cooperation. He played a leading role in various policy agendas, including the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), and WTO reform.

He served as Director General, National Space Policy Secretariat (NSPS) of the Cabinet Office (CAO) from 2019 to 2021. He played a leading role in creating the 4th Basic Plan on Space Policy of the Japanese, which was decided by the cabinet in June 2020, and establishing a new framework of relevant ministries to coordinate the government’s dual-use satellite technology R&D projects.

He served as Director General for Trade Policy at the Trade Policy Bureau of METI from 2017 to 2019. He made a contribution to finalizing Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement as the METI’s chief negotiator and advanced the G20 Osaka process as a co-chair of the Trade and Investment Working Group.

He served as Secretary General of the Electricity and Gas Market Surveillance Commission (EGC) since its establishment in September 2015 and led the secretariat to contribute to the successful and full liberalization of the electricity and gas retail markets in Japan, and to the launch of transmission and distribution charge system reform.

He also served as Director, General Policy Division of the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy and contributed to METI’s decision-making regarding the Energy Supply and Demand Outlook for 2030, which provided fundamental mid-term policy guidance for Japan’s energy policies.

From 2013 to 2014, as Director of the Budget and Accounts Division, he drafted METI’s budget.

Previously, he held the position of Counsellor of the Cabinet Secretariat from 2010 to 2012 and oversaw the Japanese government’s decision to start negotiations with TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement) member countries regarding joining the TPP. In addition, he supervised the adjustment of electricity supply and demand in eastern Japan in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011.

From 2008 to 2010 he served as Special Advisor to the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA) in Paris and contributed to the IEA’s input to the G8 Summit in 2008.

Mr. Matsuo graduated from the University of Tokyo with a degree in law and from the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University, with a master’s in international public policy.