Sazuki Ide

Sazuki Ide is a defense official at Japan’s Ministry of Defense engaged in practical international defense cooperation, working across policy, operational, and defense equipment and technology domains. She joined the Ministry in April 2021 after graduating from Waseda University with a bachelor’s degree in political science and economics. She began her career in the Okinawa Cooperation Division, where she was involved in policy coordination concerning US Forces Japan, including matters related to the Japan–US Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA). She subsequently served in the Japan–US Defense Cooperation Division, where she contributed to the formulation and coordination of policies for high-level bilateral frameworks, including ministerial-level defense meetings and Japan–US “2+2” consultations. She was later seconded to the Okinawa Defense Bureau in Okinawa Prefecture, where she was responsible for on-site coordination among US forces, local authorities, and communities. In this capacity, she supported senior leadership in managing sensitive operational situations, including the response to the 2023 CV-22 Osprey mishap. After returning to Tokyo, she worked on Indo-Pacific cooperation policy, covering regions including the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia, and Latin America. Her work focused on advancing practical defense cooperation, including regular bilateral engagements, capacity building, and unit-level exchanges. Currently serving at the Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics Agency (ATLA), she is engaged in advancing international defense equipment and technology cooperation, including defense equipment transfers and coordination with foreign acquisition authorities. She also contributes to promoting Japanese defense equipment overseas, strengthening defense industrial cooperation in light of recent revisions to Japan’s defense equipment and technology transfer system.