Greetings colleagues,

My name is Takeru Yamazaki, and I am delighted to join the WCO ROCB/AP as a Program Manager.

I come from Japan Customs, and it is a great honor and privilege to become a member of such a diverse and talented team dedicated to supporting Customs capacity building across the Asia-Pacific region.

Regarding my professional background, I began my career at Tokyo Customs, where I worked in both passenger and cargo clearance operations. After five years at Tokyo Customs, I joined the International Division of the Customs and Tariff Bureau of the Ministry of Finance of Japan.

In that role, I was involved in international cooperation and policy research, including the study of customs systems and related developments in other Customs administrations.

I also coordinated customs technical cooperation programs with countries in Africa and the Middle East, particularly through the organization of workshops and capacity building activities for partner Customs administrations. In addition, I worked on Japan Customs’ cooperation within the framework of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and participated in meetings of the Sub-Committee on Customs Procedures (SCCP) as a member of the Japan Customs delegation.

I hope to make the best use of my experience and knowledge to further strengthen cooperation, collaboration, and capacity building efforts among Customs administrations across the Asia-Pacific region.

As I begin this exciting new chapter, I look forward to working closely with colleagues and partners throughout the region and contributing to our shared goals.

Takeru Yamazaki