James P. Zumwalt


James Peter Zumwalt is an American diplomat with expertise in trade, economy, and East Asia. On November 19, 2014 he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the U.S. Ambassador to Senegal and to Guinea-Bissau. Previously, he worked as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, covering Japan and Korea. Until December 2011, he was the Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo where he also served as chargé d'affaires ad interim during the absence of an Ambassador from January to August 2009. He coordinated the U.S. Embassy's response to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
Zumwalt became the CEO of Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA, a think tank dedicated to the U.S.-Japan relations, on February 20, 2017.

Early life

Zumwalt was born and raised in El Cajon, California.
Zumwalt attended University of California, Berkeley, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in American History and in Japanese Language. He graduated in 1979.

Career

Within the State Department in Washington, D.C, Zumwalt worked as an expert on Asia, especially East Asia. He is proficient in Japanese, as well as French and Mandarin Chinese.
In 1998 he earned a master's degree in International Security Studies from the National War College.
When Barack Obama became the President and the US Ambassador to Japan, Tom Schieffer, resigned, Zumwalt worked as the chargé d'affaires ad interim from January 15, 2009 until August 20, 2009 when John Roos became ambassador. Zumwalt again served as the Deputy Chief of Mission of US Embassy in Japan from 2008-2012.