Shuri Takaba

Born and raised in Japan, Shuri is a Japanese career diplomat. She studied law and politics at the University of Tokyo, and after graduating in 2023, she joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. There, she was involved in economic diplomacy, with a focus on trade. Her portfolio covered promoting supply chain resilience within the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and participating in trade agreement negotiations with Bangladesh and the UAE. This experience not only deepened her interest in international trade diplomacy but also strengthened her motivation to help reinforce a free, open, and rules-based economic order – a principle that is increasingly vital today. At SPIA, she hopes to better understand evolving dynamics of the international political economy, especially at the intersection of economic and security policy. In her free time, she enjoys running, watching movies, and attending all kinds of live performances from musicals and orchestral concerts to ballet performances.