My journey into multilateralism began during my university years while traveling across Europe. Having studied law in Japan, a summer camping trip sparked a question that would shape my future: how could countries that had once fought wars now share a currency, a parliament, and a common future? Crossing borders by bus and observing languages and cultures change fascinated me, planting the seed for a global career.
Back in Japan, I joined an exchange program at Durham University focusing on EU integration. Soon after, I moved to Brussels with a six-month return ticket, securing traineeships at the European Chamber of Commerce and the European Commission’s Spokesman Service, followed by a junior role supporting a Member of the European Parliament in the EU–Japan delegation. A bold initiative, introducing myself to a MEP without an appointment, led to an unexpected opportunity to help write a book on EU-Japan relations. My ambition shifted toward the United Nations after a summer visit to Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan, where conversations with UNDP colleagues inspired me to pursue a multilateral career. Months later, witnessing Indonesia’s first democratic elections in 1999, and learning of UNDP’s involvement, confirmed my path, leading to my first UN assignment setting up an Elections Facilitation Center in Jakarta. The project’s success, highlighted by a visit from Foreign Minister Ali Alatas, gave me confidence and opened further opportunities.
I subsequently took a short assignment in Timor-Leste during a post-crisis period, supporting UNDP efforts on the ground, including preparations for a Japanese delegation visit and securing a $100 million aid grant. While working in Indonesia, I secured a JPO position sponsored by the Government of Japan and was deployed to New York as Desk Officer for Timor-Leste at UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific. Managing Timor-Leste’s portfolio from headquarters, I witnessed the country’s independence, with President Xanana Gusmão personally acknowledging our support. My responsibilities expanded to include Mongolia and DPRK, providing strategic insight into UNDP’s post-conflict work, including Afghanistan and Iraq task forces, which prepared me for future challenges.
Afghanistan marked one of the most demanding chapters of my career. Joining a mission to observe Afghanistan’s disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration programme, I was tasked with donor reporting and later helped set up the governance unit for the 2004 presidential and 2005 parliamentary elections. The portfolio grew to include capacity building, anticorruption, parliamentary support, and civil society empowerment. The intensity and pace eventually led to burnout, prompting me to take a restorative break at an Ayurvedic retreat in India before accepting a short assignment as Deputy Country Director in UNDP India.
Returning to Timor-Leste as Deputy Country Director, I organized a major donor conference while unknowingly battling dengue fever. After a year, I accepted a position in Khartoum, Sudan, to be closer to my husband. There, within UNMIS, I focused on strengthening coordination, resource mobilization, and collaboration among donors, local authorities, and communities. During my two-year tenure, I became a mother to twins, which shifted my priorities and led to a focus on family life in Yamanashi, Japan.
During six years in the countryside, I embraced simplicity, spent quality time with my children, and later transitioned to education, first part-time at a high school, then full-time at a university, rebuilding administrative structures and establishing a family-friendly routine. When my twins turned ten, I returned to development work, supported by their encouragement.
In 2021, I returned to Afghanistan as Fund Manager of the Law and Order Trust Fund (LOTFA). I rebuilt a dispersed team, restored donor confidence, and established the Special Trust Fund for Afghanistan (STFA), mobilizing approximately $100 million within two months. As of 2025, the fund had mobilized $275 million, coordinating 17 UN agencies under extraordinary constraints. Despite challenges, including restrictions on women’s participation, stories of resilience—like a young woman building a successful carpet-weaving business—illustrate the meaningful impact of this work.
Throughout my career, I have learned that stepping into new roles without all the answers is acceptable. Courage, curiosity, and a willingness to say yes when opportunity appears are key. As of January 2026, I am leading the Fund Management Unit for the Infrastructure Resilience Accelerator Fund (IRAF) at UNDP India, continuing to apply these lessons and contribute to global development.
