Female Economist to Lead Key Panel at Japan’s GPIF in a First

Economist Yuri Okina has been tapped to become the first female head of the Government Pension Investment Fund’s key management committee, in the latest sign that Japan is opening up leadership roles to women.

Okina will start her five-year term as the chair of the GPIF’s 10-person management committee panel on April 1, according to a statement from Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. The GPIF is one of the world’s biggest pension funds, managing more than ¥295 trillion ($1.9 trillion) in assets as of the end of 2025.