New chief named for Japan National Tourism Organization’s New York office

• Michiaki Yamada to head the New York office of JNTO
• Michiaki Yamada succeeds Naohito Ise
• Before returning to the US, Michiaki Yamada promoted Japan’s industrial heritage with the Cabinet Secretariat

Michiaki Yamada has arrived in New York from Japan to head the New York office of the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), succeeding Naohito Ise.

Mr. Yamada was born in Saitama Prefecture north of Tokyo and graduated from the Waseda University School of Political Science and Economics in 2003. He began his government service with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in 2006, working in a variety of positions with the Road Administration Division.

From 2008 to 2011, Mr. Yamada worked with the Land Price Research Division as well as the Transport Planning Division before studying abroad at the University of Michigan. He later returned to Japan after his studies and worked with the Trans-Pacific Partnership Policy Headquarters, the Japan Tourism Agency, focusing on inbound tourism promotion, and as a senior deputy director of the Urban Transport Facilities Division. Before returning to the US to become the Executive Director of the JNTO New York Office, he promoted Japan’s industrial heritage with the Cabinet Secretariat. 

“It is an honor to return to the United States and be working with the JNTO New York Office,” said Mr. Yamada. “As we embrace a new normal in a post-COVID world, I am looking forward to working with the JNTO team to showcase and exhibit the diversity in the natural and cultural worlds of Japan to more American travelers.”

Mr. Yamada is an avid fan of adventuring in the outdoors and will be joined by his wife and son early next year.