Prof. Masakazu Toyoda

Biography

Masakazu Toyoda

Chairman and CEO
The Institute of Energy Economics, Japan (IEEJ)

As a Chairman and CEO of the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan (IEEJ), Mr. Masakazu Toyoda has been very active in national debate on energy mix after the Fukushima incident. Additionally, as a member of the Advisory Committee for Natural Resources and Energy, the Ministry of Economy and Trade and Industry (METI), he led his team at IEEJ to produce a variety of reports based on fair and objective quantitative analyses. These analyses induced fact-based discussion at the Committee on Basic Energy Issues and are valued by experts both inside and outside of Japan.

Mr. Toyoda serves as an international advisor to several institutions such as King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC), Accenture, Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, Pacific International Center for High Technology Center and Brunei National Energy Research Institute (BNERI). He also spent ample time to explain the energy policy challenges Japan faced to the interested parties from overseas so that Japan, in turn, would benefit from views and advice from outside the country.

Prior to joining the Institute, Mr Masakazu Toyoda served as the Special Envoy on East Asian Affairs, as well as Special Adviser on Climate Change to Prime Minister, after he retired in 2008 from Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), where he held the position of Vice Minister for International Affairs.

Mr Toyoda joined the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) in 1973 and has a long career history at Japan’s International Trade Policy Bureau, with positions including Director-General for both the International Trade Policy Bureau and Multilateral Trade System Department. He also served in the energy area earlier in his career including the Petroleum Department and the Division of Alternative Energy, Energy and Resources Agency, followed by the International Energy Agency (IEA), OECD (1983-87).

Mr. Masakazu Toyoda holds Master’s degree in Public Affairs from Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University and Bachelor’s degree in Law from University of Tokyo.

Masakazu Toyoda began his career in 1973 in the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) and his experience in such fields as trade, energy and environment is extensive. In particular, he held such positions, in the International Trade Policy Bureau, as director of the Americas division, and director-general of the Multilateral Trade System Department. In 2003, he was named the director-general of the commerce and information policy bureau. In 2006, Toyoda became the director-general of the Trade Policy Bureau and was made vice-minister for international affairs the following year. In 2008, he became secretary-general at the secretariat of strategic headquarters for space policy, Cabinet Secretariat. He has also served as special adviser to the cabinets. Mr. Toyoda received his Master’s degree in Public Affairs (MPA) from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University and a Bachelor’s degree in Law from the University of Tokyo.