Kōichirō Matsuura

is a Japanese diplomat. He is the former Director-General of UNESCO. He was first elected in 1999 to a six-year term and reelected on 12 October 2005 for four years, following a reform instituted by the 29th session of the General Conference. In November 2009, he was replaced by Irina Bokova.

He studied law at the University of Tokyo and economics at Haverford College (Pennsylvania, USA) and began his diplomatic career in 1959. Posts held by Mr Matsuura include those of Director-General of the Economic Co-operation Bureau of Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1988); Director-General of the North American Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1990); and Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs (1992–1994). He was Japan’s Ambassador to France from 1994 to 1999. After one year as the Chairperson of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee, he became UNESCO’s ninth Director-General on 12 November 1999.

Professional 1961–1963: Third Secretary of the Embassy of Japan, Ghana; also accredited to other countries in West Africa 1963–1968: Assumed various posts at the central administration, Ministry of Foreign Affairs 1968–1972: Second Secretary, then First Secretary of the Japanese Delegation to the OECD, Paris 1972–1974: Assumed various posts at the central administration, Ministry of Foreign Affairs 1974–1975: Director of the First North American Division (Political Affairs), Ministry of Foreign Affairs 1975–1977: Director of the Development Cooperation Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs 1977–1980: Counsellor of the Embassy of Japan, United States of America 1980–1982: Director of the Aid Policy Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs 1982–1985: Successively Director of the General Affairs Division and Deputy Director-General of the Foreign Minister’s Office 1985–1988: Consul General of Japan in Hong Kong 1988–1990: Director-General, Economic Cooperation Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs 1990–1992: Director-General, North American Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs 1992–1994: Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs (Sherpa for Japan at the G-7 Summit) 1994–1999: Ambassador of Japan to France and concurrently to Andorra and Djibouti 1998–1999: Chairperson, World Heritage Committee of UNESCO 1999–2009: UNESCO Director-General (elected to a six-year term on 15 November 1999; re-elected in 2005)

Academic 1956–1959: Faculty of Law, University of Tokyo 1959–1961: Faculty of Economics, Haverford College, USA 1997: Doctor of Laws (Honoris Causa), Jean Moulin University Lyon III 2006: Doctor of Laws (Honoris Causa), University of Santo Tomas, Philippines 2008: Doctor of Philosophy (Honoris Causa), Kyung Hee University, Republic of Korea Honours Medal of the Shohrat Order First Class of the Order of the Balkan Mountains Grand Cross of the Order of Juan Mora Fernández Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour Commander's Cross with Star of the Hungarian Order of Merit First Class of the Order of the Sacred Treasure Medal of the Order of Danaker Grand Cross of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav Grand Cross of the Order of the Sun of Peru Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Henry Grand Cross of the National Order of Faithful Service Medal of the Order of Friendship Medal of the Order of the Polar Star Second Class of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise

Publications 1990: In the Forefront of Economic Cooperation Diplomacy (in Japanese) 1992: History of Japan-United States Relations (in Japanese) 1994: The G-7 Summit: Its History and Perspectives (in Japanese) 1995: Development & Perspectives of the Relations between Japan and France (in French) 1998: Japanese Diplomacy at the Dawn of the 21st Century (in French) 2002: A year of Transition (in English & French) 2003: Building the New UNESCO (in English & French) 2004: Responding to the Challenges of the 21st Century (in English & French)