Mr. Hihara joined METI in 2003 and held various positions in METI over a period of 22 years, including Deputy Director-General of JETRO Berlin/ Special Advisor to the Minister's Secretariat of METI in European Affairs, Director of Corporate Finance and Tax Affairs Division of Small and Medium Enterprise Agency, and Principal Deputy Director of Budget and Accounts Division of METI.

Mr. Hihara holds a Bachelor of Law from the University of Tokyo and a Master of Public Policy from the University of Michigan.