Kentaro Funaki is the Executive Director for International Affairs and Fukushima R&D of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency. Prior to the appointment to the current position in April 2021, he served as the Chief Nuclear Officer for International and Technology Affairs in the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI)’s Agency for Natural Resources and Energy (ANRE).

After the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Accident in 2011, He served as the Director of Nuclear Accident Response Office, where he oversaw decommissioning roadmap and R&D program, and then was responsible for creating and managing quasi government organizations (IRID and NDF) for decommissioning R&D strategy planning. His work experience includes responsibilities for METI’s nuclear reactor R&D programs, renewable energy, international energy strategies, and licensing. From 2016 to 2019, he was seconded to the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency as the Senior Nuclear Safety Specialist, where he led the creation and development of international projects in the areas of nuclear safety research and decommissioning.

He has a bachelor’s degree from University of Tokyo in nuclear engineering and a master’s degree from School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University.