The Asia Rebalance: Year-End Assessment

On December 12, 2013, Sasakawa USA welcomed Mr. James Zumwalt for a private, off-the-record discussion on his assessment of the U.S. rebalance to Asia.

About the Speaker

James Zumwalt began his tour as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Japan and Korean affairs on January 3, 2012. He previously served as the Embassy Tokyo’s Deputy Chief of Mission. Zumwalt was also Director of the Office of Japanese Affairs in the Department of State, (2006-2008), and has served prior assignments in Japan, as Economic Minister Counselor (2002-2006), Embassy Tokyo Economic Officer (1989-1993) and Consulate Kobe Consular Officer (1983-85). His other assignments abroad have been as Economic Minister-Counselor in Embassy Beijing (1999-2002) and as Economic Officer in Embassy Kinshasa (1981-83).

In Washington, Zumwalt has served in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs at the Korea and Philippine desks, and in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Front Office. He has also worked in the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs and on a detail to the United States Trade Representative’s Office of Japan and China. Fluent in Japanese he also speaks Chinese and French.