Mr. Tanaka has served as Vice Minister for International Affairs at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) between July 2019 and July 2021. During that period, he led METI’s international policy operations and represented the ministry in several cross-border economic dialogues and negotiations. Mr. Tanaka travelled alongside the Prime Minister on overseas missions to advise on economic, trade, industrial and energy policy.

Since joining METI in 1985, Mr. Tanaka has held several posts including Director-General of the Trade Policy Bureau, Director-General for Policy Planning and Coordination, Director-General of the Multilateral Trade System Department and Councillor of the Cabinet Secretariat. During his entire career, he has covered wide ranging areas including climate change and environmental policy, reconstruction of the Fukushima area, SME finance, trade policy and industrial policy.

Between 2000 and 2003, he was appointed as head of the Japan Machinery Center for Trade and Investment in Brussels to work with the European Commission.

After retiring from METI in July 2021, he worked as adviser of METI and the Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy before joining NEC Corporation.

Mr. Tanaka is registered as attorney at the state of New York, USA.