Experts

Kenta AOKI is Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Mediation Support, specializing in contemporary Afghan and Iranian politics and international security. Obtained MA in Peace Studies from the University of Bradford, UK. Research focuses on political developments in Afghanistan and the wider Middle East–Eurasia region, with particular attention to conflict dynamics and regional geopolitics. Professional experience spans diplomacy, international organizations, and academia. Previous positions include DIAG Coordinator for the Afghan Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); Second Secretary at the Embassy of Japan in Afghanistan; Analyst at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan’s Intelligence Analysis Service; Lecturer at Ochanomizu University; Executive Research Fellow at the Middle East Institute of Japan; and Political Affairs Officer at the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). Publications include The Return of the Taliban (Iwanami Shoten, 2022), The True Face of Afghanistan (Kobunsha, 2023), and Reading the World from the Middle East/Eurasia (Iwanami Shoten, 2025, co-edited), among other works.