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Hiroshi Dambara

Consul (Japan Coast Guard Attaché)

Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco

Global Leadership Development Program (’21)

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Please tell us about your career path so far. What is your area of specialization and how did you come to work in this area?

I have served as an officer in the Japan Coast Guard since 2003, working both on land and at sea. At sea, I have been stationed on patrol vessels in the waters surrounding the Northern Territories and the Senkaku Islands. My duties included conducting criminal investigations related to poaching and smuggling, as well as participating in maritime rescue operations. Additionally, I spent two years as the captain of a patrol vessel.

On land, I was responsible for overseeing the planning and formulation of coast guard policies, public relations, and human resources at the headquarters in Tokyo. Following this role, I pursued studies in diplomacy and security through the Global Leadership Development (GLD) program at GRIPS from 2020 to 2021.

You are currently serving as Consul at the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco. Please tell us about your main roles and responsibilities.

My main duty in San Francisco is to develop partnerships and cooperative relationships with the U.S. Coast Guard in this region. The U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area covers a vast swath of ocean, including the Indo-Pacific region, and I engage in daily discussions with my American counterparts to strengthen the relationship between the U.S. and Japan Coast Guards.

In addition, as a consul at the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco, I monitor U.S. politics and provide information on Japan's foreign policy and other issues to the international community. I also share Japanese culture and its appeal with the wider public and promote the Japanese language.

Parade with Consulate staff at the festival

Speech on behalf of the Consulate at the event

In your current capacity, what do you see as the main opportunities and challenges for Japan over the course of the next five to ten years?

Today, it is often said that we are at a historical turning point, with the possibility of the collapse of the liberal international order. The center of gravity of world affairs has shifted to the Indo-Pacific; China continues its rapid rise, and the specter of confrontation between the U.S. and China is deepening.
Under such circumstances, it is crucial that Japan and the rest of the international community do not tolerate any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force anywhere in the world and maintain a free and open international order based on the rule of law. Japan has a very significant role to play in this endeavor.
Maritime law enforcement, which is my area of specialization, is fundamental to maintaining a free and open international order based on international law. The issues it seeks to combat--piracy, illicit drugs, disasters, etc.--are not discrete threats, but rather cross-border concerns shared between nations. Those engaged in the field proactively build cooperative relationships and sometimes serve as a buffer to prevent war.
Therefore, my goal is not only to strengthen the ties between the Japan and U.S. coast guards but also to ensure peaceful and stable oceans by actively promoting multilateral cooperation, emphasizing shared values, and promoting dialogue over confrontation.

Planned U.S.-Japan-Korea Signing Ceremony and Joint Exercise (1)

Planned U.S.-Japan-Korea Signing Ceremony and Joint Exercise (2)

What are some of the biggest challenges you face in your work?

The most challenging situations I have faced are those in the field, such as guarding territorial waters, where many encounters could lead to international conflict, depending on the actions of each party. In these situations, we commit ourselves to avoiding escalation through levelheaded, calm responses, while at the same time always protecting the front line with a strong sense of mission.

Even as the Coast Guard works diligently to maintain the status quo in the field, I have come to believe that policy must take a more overarching view of the international situation. I resolved to study diplomacy and security in order to make strategic decisions and gain a long-term perspective that leads to effective solutions.

What led you to GRIPS? What is the most important thing you got out of your studies, and how has your experience at GRIPS prepared you for future endeavors?
When I decided to continue my education, I learned that GRIPS was opening a new program called Global Leadership Development Program, which would allow students to study diplomacy and security.

Graduation ceremony with friends of Global Leaders Development program at GRIPS

My experience in the Global Leadership Development Program was extremely valuable in broadening my perspective and enabling me to make decisions with a strategic eye in my career as a Coast Guard officer.

What are some of your fondest memories of your time spent at GRIPS? And how do you stay connected with your former fellow students?

Most of the time I spent studying at GRIPS was during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since many of the classes were online, it was difficult to make connections with other students in person. Even so, I was able to connect with my fellow GLD students and international students through discussions and activities, and we still keep in touch through social networks.

With international students

You are currently based in San Francisco. What do you like most about living in the United States? And what is your favorite thing to do when you are not working?

San Francisco is a city of diverse cultures and values that inspires me daily. In my free time, I very much enjoy traveling throughout the U.S. with my family and visiting national parks. My work keeps me quite busy, but on my days off, I'm either on a road trip or a flight to visit one of the country's national parks, or planning a future trip to one! The national parks in the U.S. are breathtakingly beautiful on such a grand scale, and my visits there are some of the fondest memories of my life.

Visiting a National Park with kids

If you could give one piece of advice to anyone considering studying at GRIPS what would it be?

The students at GRIPS are very proactive and forward-thinking about the issues facing the world, so I would highly recommend engaging in discussions with your fellow students as much as you can. The professors are also excellent, and being a part of their networks has been a great opportunity for me.

How would you like to maintain involved with the School? What do you expect from GRIPS as an alumnus and do you have any suggestions on how to further utilize the GRIPS alumni network?

The relationships I built at GRIPS are as much an asset to me as what I learned there. I am confident that my continued involvement with GRIPS and the many people I will meet as a result will be enriching and broaden my horizons.