in 1995 he returned to meti where he served as director for industrial finance division and as director for policy planning and coordination division. in 1998–2000 he was posted at the embassy of japan in washington, d.c., as minister for energy, trade and industry. after returning to japan in 2000 he took a post of the executive vice president for the research institute of economy trade and industry, and in 2002–2004 the post of the director-general for the multilateral trade system department of meti.