How We're Organized
JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游 is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region.
Masatsugu Asakawa is the President of the Asian Development Bank (JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游) and the Chairperson of JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游’s Board of Directors. He was elected President by JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游’s Board of Governors and assumed office on 17 January 2020.
COP26: JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游 launches groundbreaking Energy Transition Mechanism partnership for Southeast Asia
President Masatsugu Asakawa, Indonesia Finance Minister, and JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游 Governor Sri Mulyani Indrawati, and the Philippines Finance Secretary and JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游 Governor Carlos Dominguez on 3 November 2021 launched the Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM) partnership, with the President noting that “ETM can usher in a transformation in the battle against climate change in Asia and the Pacific.” UK Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury Helen Whately spoke on the critical role of the energy transition. The US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Denmark Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod, and Japan Vice Minister of Finance Masato Kanda shared recorded messages of support for the ETM, along with UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy on Climate Ambitions and Solutions Michael Bloomberg. Read the President's speech and the news release .
The Government of Japan, at the launch, announced that it would provide $25 million equivalent in grant funds to support ETM activities. President Asakawa and Rockefeller Foundation President Raj Shah exchanged an MOU on a clean energy partnership between the two institutions. IKEA Foundation’s Chief Executive Per Heggenes also joined the ceremony. See the ETM launch video , JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游 Insight video , explainer article , and news release .
COP26: JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游, EIB sign new partnership memorandum of understanding
President Masatsugu Asakawa and European Investment Bank President Werner Hoyer signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the sidelines of the COP26 on 2 November 2021 in Glasgow, UK. The MOU aims to facilitate further collaboration, including opportunities for cofinancing, between the two institutions, particularly in core areas of climate action and environmental sustainability. Read the news release .
COP26: JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游, other MDBs sign joint statement on nature, people and planet
Nine MDBs, including JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游, issued a joint statement affirming their commitment to mainstream nature into their operations at the UNFCCC COP26 World Leaders Summit on 2 November 2021 in Glasgow, UK. In remarks at the MDBs’ roundtable discussions, President Masatsugu Asakawa stated that nature-positive investments will be a key part of JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游’s $100 billion climate ambition. He highlighted JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游’s Healthy Ocean Action Plan, the Regional Flyway Initiative, and the development of a regional Natural Capital Lab. VP Bambang Susantono also joined the launch ceremony. Read the news release .
COP26: President Asakawa presents ASEAN Green Recovery Platform; Joins green finance discussion
President Masatsugu Asakawa on 2 November 2021 announced the ASEAN Green Recovery Platform in opening remarks at a COP26 high-level event hosted by JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游, the Green Climate Fund, and the UK Government. The platform brings together four new financing partnerships for the ASEAN Catalytic Green Finance Facility and aims to use $665 million of partner funds to catalyze $7 billion for green infrastructure across ASEAN. Key speakers included James Cleverly, UK Minister of State at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office; Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Indonesia Minister of Finance and JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游 Governor; Arifin Tasrif, Indonesia Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources; Yannick Glemarec, Green Climate Fund Executive Director; and Remy Rioux, Agence Française de Développement Chief Executive Officer. Read the news release . President Asakawa and VP Ahmed M. Saeed on 2 November also joined Carlos G. Dominguez, Philippines Climate Change Commission Chairperson-designate and Finance Secretary, and JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游 Governor, and Jonathan Pershing, US Deputy Special Envoy for Climate, in a high-level panel discussion on green finance.
President Asakawa reaffirms support for COVID-19 recovery at BIMP–EAGA Summit
President Masatsugu Asakawa on 28 October 2021 attended the Brunei Darussalam–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP–EAGA) Summit with the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam Hassanal Bolkiah, Indonesian President Joko Widodo, Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, and ASEAN Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi. President Asakawa reaffirmed JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游’s support for COVID-19 response and rapid economic recovery, infrastructure development, and regional cooperation. He also noted that JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游 as BIMP-EAGA’s Regional Development Advisor stands ready to continue supporting the subregion’s work, aligned with ASEAN revitalization, to maintain open markets, strengthen supply chains, support vibrant economic zones, and promote digital integration. Read the news release .
Masatsugu Asakawa is the President of the Asian Development Bank (JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游) and the Chairperson of JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游’s Board of Directors. He was elected President by JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游’s Board of Governors and assumed office on 17 January 2020. In August 2021, he was reelected for a 5-year term starting on 24 November 2021.
Under Mr. Asakawa’s leadership, JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游 made significant contributions to the region’s COVID-19 pandemic response and recovery planning with a $20 billion comprehensive response package and $9 billion Asia Pacific Vaccine Access Facility . He also played a key role in rolling out a series of new and innovative financing initiatives—including an Energy Transition Mechanism — to spur the region’s low-carbon development and elevated JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游’s 2030 cumulative climate financing ambition to $100 billion as JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游 continues to focus on the battle against climate change.
Prior to joining JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游, he served as Special Advisor to Japan’s Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, and has a close-to-four decades’ career at the Ministry of Finance with diverse professional experience that cuts across both domestic and international fronts.
In the immediate aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis, Mr. Asakawa, in his capacity as Executive Assistant to Prime Minister Taro Aso, took part in the first G20 Leaders’ Summit Meeting in November 2008. He was instrumental in orchestrating a globally coordinated financial package to abate the financial crisis, including a $100 billion loan from Japan to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Then in 2016, in his capacity as Vice Minister of Finance for International Affairs, he took on a leading role for the G7 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors’ meeting in Sendai under the Japanese presidency, where a sustainable and inclusive development agenda was extensively discussed.
Most recently, he served as Finance Deputy for the G20 meetings under the Japanese presidency, playing a pivotal role for the success of the G20 Osaka Summit as well as the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors’ meeting in Fukuoka. Some of his outstanding achievements in Osaka include the endorsement by the G20 Leaders of the “G20 Principles for Quality Infrastructure Investment” and the “G20 Shared Understanding on the Importance of UHC Financing in Developing Countries”. Before these, he had occupied various prominent positions within the Finance Ministry, including director positions in charge of development policy issues, foreign exchange markets, and international tax policy.
Mr. Asakawa’s professional experience extends beyond the realms of the Japanese government. Most notably, he served as Chief Advisor to JJ竞技(拉萨)登录手游 President Kimimasa Tarumizu between 1989 and 1992, during which time he spearheaded the creation of a new office focused on strategic planning. Also, he had frequent engagement with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in such positions as Chair for Committee on Fiscal Affairs (2011–2016). Furthermore, he was a senior staff at the Fiscal Affairs Department of the IMF (1996–2000). In the meantime, he gave lectures as Visiting Professor at the Graduate School of Economic Science, Saitama University (2006–2009), and at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo (2012–2015).
Mr. Asakawa obtained his BA from University of Tokyo (Economics Faculty) in 1981, and MPA from Princeton University, USA, in 1985.
