Masaaki Shirakawa

Honestly, when you hear "economist from Tokyo University who became governor of the Bank of Japan," it sounds like the kind of résumé that exists only in textbooks — but Masaaki Shirakawa is the real deal. Born in Fukuoka in 1949, he quietly built a career that put him at the controls of Japan's monetary policy during what was arguably one of the most brutal stretches in modern economic history: the 2008 global financial crisis and the catastrophic aftermath of the 2011 earthquake. No flashy soundbites, no Twitter persona — just measured words and the kind of unshakeable composure that makes you realize some people are actually built for pressure. France handed him the Legion of Honor, which tells you his reputation crossed borders well beyond finance circles. He's not the kind of guy you'd recognize on the street, but the stability you take for granted in your wallet? Some of that is quietly his work.

Masaaki Shirakawa is a Japanese economist born on September 27, 1949, in Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture. He studied at the University of Tokyo. In 2012 he was awarded the Chevalier of the Legion of Honor by France, recognizing his international standing in economics.

Name (English)

Masaaki Shirakawa

Name (Japanese)

白川方明

Reading

しらかわ まさあき

Born

September 27, 1949 (age 76)

Zodiac / Chinese zodiac

Libra / Ox

Origin

Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan

Occupation

Economist

University

University of Tokyo

Awards & achievements

• 2012 — Chevalier of the Legion of Honor (France)

Motto

Private

• Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%99%BD%E5%B7%9D%E6%96%B9%E6%98%8E

Tags

• From Fukuoka Prefecture
• Economist

Last updated

2026-06-02

Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.