Christopher J. LaFleur

Ross Deed, born December 12, 1949, is a former American diplomat. He graduated from Oberlin College and went to Japan in 1969 to study Chinese. He entered the diplomatic service in 1973 and was posted to the Sapporo Consulate as Vice Consul in 1974, marking the start of his overseas career. Subsequently, he served in places such as Yokohama and Tokyo, becoming proficient in Japanese. In the 1980s, he held positions at the United Nations headquarters in New York and at the United Nations office in Paris, gaining international experience. From 1991 to 1993, he served as the Director of the Department of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia Affairs at the State Department.

From 1993 to 1997, he was the Deputy Director of the American Institute in Taiwan's Taipei Office. In 1994, he visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China along with colleagues, becoming one of the first U.S. representatives to enter the ministry since 1979. After 1997, he was again stationed in Japan, serving as a Minister Counselor and Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy. From 2001 to 2003, he was the Chief Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asia and Pacific Affairs at the State Department. In 2004, he was appointed as the U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia, assuming office in 2005 and serving until his retirement on September 14, 2007.

After retiring, Ross Deed held positions at several organizations, including Director at Tsuneki Holdings, Vice President of J.P. Morgan Japan, Special Advisor for Asia at Certus Trust & Deposit, and Senior Director at McLarty Associates. He also served as Executive Director, President, and Honorary Executive Director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan, actively promoting bilateral relations and understanding between the U.S. and Japan. In November 2019, he was awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun by the Japanese government in recognition of his contributions to U.S.-Japan relations.

He is married to Keiko Mizuoka, the daughter of former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mizuoka, and they have two daughters: the elder daughter, Sara Mizuoka, is a fashion designer, and the younger daughter, Emma Mizuoka, is an artist.