Ambassador Yukio Takasu
of Japan takes on the role
of Chairperson of the CTBTO
Preparatory Commission for 2004

Ambassador Yukio Takasu, Permanent Representative of Japan to the CTBTO Preparatory Commission, takes up his duties this month as Chairperson of the Commission for 2004. Ambassador Takasu, of the South-East Asia, Pacific and Far East geographical region, was elected during the Twenty-First Session of the Commission in November 2003. States Signatories also agreed at this Session that the tenure of the Chairperson of the Commission be extended from six months to one year. Ambassador Takasu studied at the University of Tokyo and at Oxford University. He joined the diplomatic service of Japan in 1969, and has served in various positions in the United Kingdom, Malaysia, Indonesia and at the United Nations in New York. In the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo, he was responsible for Japan's policy on Western Europe and on the United Nations. In September 1993, Mr Takasu was appointed Assistant Secretary-General and Controller of the United Nations in New York, where he was in charge of the budgetary and financial operations of the UN. From 1997 to 2000, Mr Takasu served his country as Ambassador to the United Nations, representing Japan in the Security Council from 1997 to 1998. In early 2000, he was appointed Director-General of the Multilateral Cooperation Department in Tokyo, and subsequently, Ambassador in charge of civil society. Ambassador Takasu became Permanent Representative of Japan to the CTBTO Preparatory Commission in 2001. Vice-Chairpersons of the CTBTO Preparatory Commission for the same period are Egypt (Africa), Belarus (Eastern Europe), Venezuela (Latin America and the Caribbean), Turkey (North America and Western Europe) and Australia (South-East Asia, the Pacific and the Far East).

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