Ambassador, International Trade and Economy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Japan

Seiichi Kondo is Ambassador of International Trade and Economic Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan. Ambassador Kondo was born on March 24, 1946. He is married and has one daughter. Ambassador Kondo graduated from Tokyo University in 1971 and from there entered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From 1973-75 Ambassador Kondo studied at Oxford University, under the sponsorship of the Ministry's diplomatic training program. Ambassador Kondo has worked for the Overseas Public Relations Division (1975), the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (1977), and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris (1980).

In 1983 Ambassador Kondo became Deputy Director, OECD Desk, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Then in 1986 he became Deputy Director, Korea Desk. The following year he took on the position of Private Secretary to Vice Minister for Foreign Affaires. Over the next sixteen years he held such governmental positions as Director, Foreign Press Division (1988); Counselor, Embassy of Japan in the Philippines (1990); Counselor, Embassy of Japan in the U.S. (1992); Minister, Embassy of Japan in the U.S.; Deputy Director-General (General Affairs), Economic Affairs Bureau (1996); Deputy Director-General (G8 Summit, OECD etc), Economic Affairs Bureau (1998); Deputy Secretary General, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris (1999); Director-General, Cultural Affairs Department (2003); Director-General, Public Diplomacy Department (2004).

Ambassador Kondo has authored three books: Image of Japan in the American Media, 1994 (The Simul Press); The Distorted Image of Japan-The Perception Game Inside The Beltway, 1997 (The Simul Press); and From the Woods of Malmaison – 24 Essays on Diplomacy and Culture, 2005 (Kamakura Shunju sha). He has also published numerous articles in Japanese in Gaiko Forum, Kokusai Mondai, etc. English articles include: “The Aquino Legacy : A Reassessment of President Aquino' s Years, ” Japan Review of International Affairs, Winter, 1993; “The Japan-U.S. Auto Talks : A Case Study of Public Relations, ” Japan Review of International Affairs, Summer, 1998; “Advancing Globalization ” Far Eastern Economic Review, November 4,1999; “The Idea of Europe and the Role of Japan,” Japan Review of International Affairs vol.14. No3. Fall 2000.