Mr. OTAKA Junichiro is Minister (Deputy Chief of Mission), Embassy of Japan in Israel since September 2024. After joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan in 1995, Mr. OTAKA served in such areas as Japan-U.S. economic relations, press affairs, defense policy, European affairs, arms control/disarmament, information safeguarding, international science cooperation, and climate change. Mr, OTAKA has also served in Embassies of Japan in Australia, Poland, and Austria, as well as Permanent Mission of Japan in Geneva. Mr. OTAKA graduated from University of Tokyo in 1995 (BA in International Relations). He also studied at University of Edinburgh from 1996 to 1997 (MSc in European and International Politics), and at University of Cambridge from 1997 to 1998 (LL.M). Mr. OTAKA has taught at University of Tsukuba over several years since 2011 as a visiting lecturer, where he held courses focused on legal and policy aspects of diplomacy. He has taught at several other universities such as Aoyama Gakuin University. Mr. OTAKA’s academic works include “Climate Diplomacy and Formulation of International Order on Climate Change Policies” (Journal of International Law and Diplomacy Volume 122 Issue 3 (2023) (in Japanese).