Takashi Yamada is a corporate affiliate visiting fellow at Shorenstein APARC for 2006-07. Prior to joining Shorenstein APARC, he held positions at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), government of Japan, for about ten years, where he took charge of policymaking. His latest position at METI was as deputy directory in the public relations office, MInister's Secretariat. He did his undergraduate study at Osaka University, in the faculty of Engineering Science.