Board Member
Executive Director
Itsu Adachi
Academic/Professional Background
Mr. Itsu Adachi is an Executive Director at the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (SPF). He joined SPF in June 2020 to oversee departments and projects related to conflict resolution and peacebuilding in Asia, labor migration, social integration, Japan-China relations, promoting understanding of the Middle East and Islam, and advancing gender equality and women’s economic empowerment by supporting development of ecosystems for impact investing and inclusive entrepreneurship.
Prior to joining SPF, he spent 35 years leading international cooperation programs in developing countries at the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). His portfolio covered a wide range of official development assistance projects in Southeast Asia, including post-conflict peace building and reconstruction projects in Cambodia where he served as Chief Representative of JICA's , Cambodia office. He also led cross-sectoral initiatives leveraging technological innovation and digital transformation in development projects. Mr. Adachi graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Sofia University, Japan.
| 1985 | Joined the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) |
| 1996 | Assistant Resident Representative, JICA Thailand Office |
| 1998 | Deputy Director, General Affairs Division, General Affairs Department, JICA |
| 2001 | Expert on Aid Coordination and Management,
Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) /
Cambodian Rehabilitation and Development Board (CRDB), Kingdom of Cambodia |
| 2003 | Director, Second Development Study Division, Social Development Study Department, JICA |
| 2004 | Group Director, Water Resource Management Group, Global Environment Department, JICA |
| 2006 | Advisor to the Director General, General Affairs Department, JICA |
| 2009 | Deputy Director General for Planning and Coordination, Global Environment Department, JICA |
| 2011 | Deputy Director General for Planning and ASEAN Partnership,
Southeast Asia and Pacific Department, JICA |
| 2013 | Executive Adviser to the Director General, Infrastructure and Peacebuilding Department, JICA |
| 2015 | Chief Representative, JICA Cambodia Office |
| 2017 | Director General, Infrastructure and Peacebuilding Department, JICA |
| 2020 - present | Executive Director, Sasakawa Peace Foundation |
As of January 20, 2025