Hirokazu Okumura was a Visiting Faculty Fellow in residence at the NCDG from the University of Tokyo.  Professor Okumura served as a senior official for approximately thirty years at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in the Government of Japan.  Okumura and Fountain collaborate on comparative U.S. Japanese research projects. 

Background: Visiting Professor, Graduate Schools of Law and Politics, University of Tokyo. 2002-2004: Visiting Professor, Graduate School of Law, Kyoto University. 2003-2005 Executive Vice President, Institute of Developing Economies, JETRO. 2005-present Visiting Professor, Graduate Schools of Law and Politics, University of Tokyo, to be assigned to lecture on 'electronic government and administrative process' jointly with Associate Professor Shiroyama at University of Tokyo