Our Leadership

Born in 1951 in Japan, Masamichi Tokai is a seasoned executive with a distinguished career in the petroleum and chemical industries. A graduate of Japan Law University, Tokai began his career at Tatsumi Marine (1983–1986), where he served as a business development executive, identifying new opportunities in the chemical sector for the maritime industry.

In 1986, Tokai joined Token Oil & Chemicals, where he specialized in the trading of oil and chemical products across East Asia particularly in China, Korea, and Japan. One of his most notable accomplishments during this time was becoming the first trader to introduce Chinese naphtha and crude oil to the Korean market a pioneering achievement that marked a significant milestone in regional energy trade.

Committed to deepening his understanding of the East Asian energy landscape, Tokai studied the language and culture of Indonesia at the University of Indonesia (1988–1989). This experience enabled him to build strong regional partnerships and navigate local markets more effectively. Shortly thereafter, he relocated to Malaysia, where he established Tokai Petroleum and formed a joint venture with VICO Company, significantly expanding his footprint in Southeast Asia’s energy sector.

His collaboration with VICO led to new business ventures in Vietnam, particularly in fertilizer packaging at Saigon Port. This development set the stage for Tokai’s entry into the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) market. In 2001, he founded Universal Petroleum Vietnam Co., Ltd. (UP Vietnam), focusing on LPG distribution for residential, automotive, and industrial applications. Under his leadership, UPI established multiple LPG infrastructures across Ho Chi Minh City, including a bottling plant and an automobile conversion factory in Binh Duong Province.

Today, Universal Petroleum International (Japan) Holding Co., Ltd. reflects the global scope of Tokai’s business vision. In 2010, the company secured long-term memorandums of understanding (MOUs) for LNG supply in South and Southeast Asia. Currently, Masamichi Tokai continues to lead efforts in expanding UPI’s trading operations in crude oil, LNG, LPG, diesel, and Jet A1, solidifying the company’s role in shaping the future of energy across Asia and beyond.