Masaaki Shirakawa (白川 方明, Shirakawa Masaaki, born September 27, 1949) is a Japanese economist and the 30th Governor of the Bank of Japan (BOJ), and professor at Aoyama Gakuin University. He is also a Director and Vice-Chairman of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS).[1] Early life[edit] Shirakawa was born in Fukuoka.[2] and he graduated from high school in Kokura. In 1972, he was awarded a