Statement by the Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Selection of Mr. Nobuo Tanaka as New Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA)

December 14, 2006

The Government of Japan welcomes the announcement by the International Energy Agency (IEA) that Mr. Nobuo Tanaka, Director for Science, Technology and Industry at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Japanese candidate, was unanimously selected as next executive director of the IEA in the meeting of its Governing Board in Sydney on December 14.
The IEA, which assumes the role of worldwide energy security, is becoming increasingly important especially for its member states in the tight world energy supply- demand balance as the price of crude oil has been high and volatile. The Government of Japan strongly expects Mr. Tanaka to assume a heavy responsibility as executive director to manage the IEA Secretariat effectively and efficiently.
Japan has been actively contributing to the activities of the IEA as one of the world's largest energy consumers. Japan will further strengthen its relationship with the IEA and actively contribute to its activities to enhance global energy security.

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