Dr. IIMURA Akiko is the Executive Director of NEDO overseeing the International Affairs Department, the New Energy Technology Department, the Environment Department, and the Technology Strategy Center.

After joining the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI, currently Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry; METI) in 1994, Dr. Iimura worked on global environmental issues and international energy policies, including the Kyoto Protocol negotiations at COP3 to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the stabilization of the international oil market after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States. In recent years, she has been widely involved in developing science, technology, and innovation policies, such as strategy planning and evaluation for national research and development projects, promotion of university startups, industry-academia-government collaboration, STEM human resource development, enhancement of research integrity and sensitive technology management.

Dr. Iimura received a Doctor of Engineering from Tokyo Institute of Technology in 2018, a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School, Tufts University in 2001, and a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering Science from Tokyo Institute of Technology in 1993.