Yuko Kaifu is the President of JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles (JHLA), which is one of the three public diplomacy hubs in the world created by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. JHLA opened its doors to the public in 2018. Prior to joining JHLA in 2016 to start up the project, she served as Managing Director of Corporate Communications at MUFG Union Bank. She was a Consul at the Consulate General of Japan in LA from 2001 to 2007. She started her career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and was assigned to the Embassy of Japan in Canada, as well as various departments at the headquarters of the Ministry, including as Deputy Director at North American Affairs Bureau, Economic Cooperation Bureau, Foreign Policy Bureau, and Cultural Affairs Bureau. She was concurrently appointed an official interpreter for Prime Ministers and Foreign Ministers of Japan as well as Her Majesty the Empress Heisei. She serves on the boards of Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, UCLA Terasaki Center for Japanese Studies, and Japanese American National Museum, and previously served on the board of US-Japan Council. She earned her M.A. at Queen’s University in Canada.