Japan names Okano as Foreign Ministry top bureaucrat, succeeding Mori

The Japanese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday named Masataka Okano, a deputy head of the National Security Secretariat, as its new top bureaucrat.The appointment of Okano, 59, as vice foreign minister was among a set of key personnel changes at the ministry endorsed by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's Cabinet the same day, effective on Thursday.Okano, who also serves as assistant chief Cabinet secretary in charge of foreign policy, succeeds Takeo Mori, 62, who is retiring after holding the post since June 2021.A University of Tokyo graduate, Okano entered the ministry in 1987, and served as direct…READ FULL ARTICLE