Dr Kunugi is a former UN Assistant Secretary-General and Permanent Representative of Japan to the UN in Geneva.

He received his education from Tokyo University, Cornell University and received his PhD from Columbia University, in addition to obtaining a diploma from the The Hague Academy of International Law.

He has served in many UN bodies and is a Visiting Professor at the Institute for Advanced Studies at UN University, where his specialisations include global governance, international law and international administration.