MANILA, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- Masatsugu Asakawa from Japan assumed office as the 10th president of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Friday, the Manila-based bank said.
Asakawa said he is honored to assume the role of ADB president and looks forward to working in close cooperation with ADB's 68 members.
"ADB has been a trusted partner of the region for more than half a century, supporting strong growth that has improved the lives of people across Asia and the Pacific. I will strive to ensure ADB remains the preferred choice of its clients and partners," Asakawa said in a statement.
Asakawa succeeds Takehiko Nakao, who stepped down on Jan. 16, 2020.
The ADB said that Asakawa has had frequent engagement with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), including as chair of the Committee on Fiscal Affairs from 2011 to 2016.
