Akio Takahara is distinguished visiting professor at the Tokyo Woman's Christian University. He formerly was professor of Contemporary Chinese Politics at the Graduate Schools for Law and Politics at the University of Tokyo (UTokyo). He also serves as Senior Research Advisor of the JICA Ogata Sadako Research Institute for Peace and Development. He was dean of the Graduate School of Public Policy of UTokyo from 2018 to 2020. He received his DPhil in 1988 from Sussex University, and later spent several years as visiting scholar at the Consulate-General of Japan in Hong Kong, the Japanese Embassy in Beijing, Harvard University, Peking University, and the Australian National University. Dr. Takahara is also on the International Scientific Council at MERICS.