U.S.-Japan Relations in a Regional Context

On July 20, 2011, Sasakawa USA welcomed Mr. Joseph Donovan for a private, off-the-record discussion on significance of U.S.-Japan relations in the Asia-Pacific region.

About the Speaker

Joseph R Donovan, Jr. assumed responsibilities as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC on September 8, 2009. As principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, he is responsible for relations with Japan and Korea, and the East Asian and Pacific Bureau’s Executive Office. Previously, he served as Consul General of the United States of American in Hong Kong 92008-2009), as Deputy Chief of Mission and the US Embassy in Tokyo (2005-2008), and Director for the Office of Chinese and Mongolian Affairsin the Bureau of East Asia and Pacific Affairs at the US Department of State (2003-2005).

A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, his earlier assignments include: Chief of the Political Section at the American Instutute in Taiwan; Deputy Political Counselor and Chief of the Political-Military Affairs Unit and the US Embassy in Tokyo; Deputy Head of the Political Section at the US Embassy in Beijing; and Branch Chief of the American Institute in Taiwan’s Kaohsuing Office. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Donovan has also served at the US Embassies in Seoul, ROK and Doha, Qatar.