Nobuo Tanaka is former Chairman of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation. He is the chairman of the Innovation for Cool Earth Forum (ICEF).  He is Distinguished Fellow at Institute of Energy Economics, Japan (IEEJ) and Visiting Professor at Graduate School of Public Policy of the University of Tokyo. As Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA) from 2007 to 2011, he initiated a collective release of oil stocks in June 2011. He also played a crucial and personal role in strengthening of ties with major non-Member energy players, including China and India. 

He began his career in 1973 in the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) after graduating the University of Tokyo, and has served in a number of high-ranking positions, including Director-General of the Multilateral Trade System Department. He was deeply engaged in bilateral trade issues with the US as Minister for Industry, Trade and Energy at the Embassy of Japan, Washington DC. He served twice as Director for Science, Technology and Industry (DSTI) of the Paris-based international organization, OECD.