David B. Shear

David Shear served 34 years as an American diplomat. He served in Washington, Sapporo, Beijing, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur and Hanoi. Ambassador Shear spent ten years of his career working on U.S.-Japan relations at the American Consulate in Sapporo, the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, and in the State Department’s Office of Japanese Affairs. He was Chief of Political-Military Affairs at U.S. Embassy Tokyo from 1994-97 under Ambassador Walter Mondale and Political Minister from 2001-2005 under Ambassador Howard Baker. Shear was Deputy Director of the Office of Korean Affairs 1999- 2001 and travelled to Pyongyang with Secretary Albright in late-2000. He also served in the U.S. Embassy, Beijing from 1987-89 as a political officer and as Director of the Office of Chinese Affairs and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for China, Hong Kong, and Mongolia (2008-11). Shear was the U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam from 2011-14 and the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs 2014-2017.