New York – June 26, 2024: Susumu Matsumoto has arrived in New York from Japan to head the New York office of the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) , succeeding Michiaki Yamada.
Mr. Matsumoto was born in Saitama Prefecture north of Tokyo and graduated from the Faculty of Law of Keio University in 2005. He began his government service with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism in 2005. In 2007-2009, he was assigned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and in 2009-2010, he worked with the Japan Coast Guard.
He studied in California from 2010 to 2012, earning his MPP (Master of Public Policy) degree at UCLA’s Luskin School of Public Affairs.
"It is an honor to be back in the United States, and to represent my homeland in New York," said Mr. Matsumoto, “especially as my appointment comes during this extremely important U.S.-Japan Tourism Year.”
From 2012 to 2014, he worked for the Tohoku Earthquake recovery project. In both 2017 and 2023, he was a part of the Japanese G7 host committees for the Transport Ministers’ meetings; at the G7 meeting in 2023, he acted as Japan’s liaison with U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg. From 2017 until his appointment to New York, he continued his work with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and with the inbound tourism promotional department of Mie Prefecture.
Mr. Matsumoto will be joined in New York by his wife and two daughters. A fan of blues and rock, he plays both the acoustic and electric guitar. One of his favorite pastimes is discovering local boutiques on long walks through city neighborhoods.
ABOUT JAPAN NATIONAL TOURISM ORGANIZATION (JNTO)
As the official tourism board, JNTO seeks to inspire international travelers to visit Japan. Focusing on sustainability, diversity and preservation of its history and culture, JNTO encourages travelers to explore the country while supporting local businesses, learning about indigenous cultures, and helping conserve its natural sites.
For more information about travel to Japan, visit https://www.japan.travel/en/us or the JNTO pages on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube. To contact the New York office of the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) directly, please e-mail us_media@jnto.go.jp.
ABOUT U.S.-JAPAN TOURISM YEAR
2024 will mark the first time both the United States and Japan have developed this kind of union, which seeks to promote increased travel, mutual tourism, and cultural exchanges between the two countries. The Tourism Year agreement is a project of Japan National Tourism Organization(JNTO), the Japan Tourism Agency (JTA) and the Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA), in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Travel and Tourism Office and U.S. Commercial Service, the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo and Brand USA. For more information, visit https://www.japan.travel/en/us/us- japan-tourism-year-2024/.
