U.S. Embassy & Consulates
in Japan

Mr. Matthew Cenzer joined the State Department in 2002. During that time, he has focused on strengthening relationships with key U.S. allies and partners in Asia, as well as tackling critical international peace and security issues across the globe.

Prior to his appointment to Consulate Nagoya in July 2021, Mr. Cenzer served as Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, where he managed a broad range of political and economic issues and participated in developing the United States’ vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific region. He has previously served at the U.S. Embassies in Seoul, Jakarta, and Manila, and as Malaysia Desk Officer in Washington.

Mr. Cenzer also has expertise in international peace and security issues. At the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in New York, he negotiated numerous resolutions authorizing peacekeeping missions and addressing nuclear and missile proliferation threats. He also managed bilateral and multilateral arms control issues during an assignment in the Bureau of Arms Control, Verification, and Compliance.

Mr. Cenzer was chosen to participate in the State Department’s Pearson Fellowship, where he served for one year as a foreign policy advisor to a member of the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Before becoming a diplomat, Mr. Cenzer taught history at Northwestern University. He received a Fulbright student fellowship to pursue his graduate research in Kenya.

He is joined in Japan by his wife, Michele, and their two cats. He speaks Japanese, Indonesian, and some Korean. His interests include photography, hiking, art, and golf.