Hiroshi Ishikawa is a policy professional, currently serving as the Special Advisor to the Minister for ASEAN and Asia Pacific Affairs at Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and as a Senior Program Advisor on the Startup Ecosystem at ERIA. He leads key initiatives to promote cooperation in innovation and energy between the Asia Pacific region and Japan. His tenure at METI began in 2000, during which his roles have been pivotal, including Director of Industrial Structure Policy, Director of Automotive Industry Strategy Policy, and Director of Electricity and Gas Network Policy. In 2019, he served as the Executive Secretary to the Minister overseeing Economic and Fiscal Policy and the COVID-19 response in Japan. He holds the position of Special Advisor to the Minister and Executive Director at JETRO.