Yale graduate Yoriko Kawaguchi served as Japan's Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2002-04. She has served her country in a number of ministerial and diplomatic positions. She graduated from Yale in 1972 with a master's degree in economics.

Xing Wang Deng, Professor of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology and the Director of the Peking-Yale Joint Center for Plant Molecular Genetics and Agro-biotechnology, is the 2003 recipient of the Kumho Award. The Award is presented annually by the Kumho Cultural Foundation of Korea for meritorious research in plant molecular biology/biotechnology.

Wan Exiang is Grand Justice and vice president of China's Supreme People's Court. Prior to his appointment to the Court, he was a professor at the law school at Wuhan University. He earned a Master of Laws degree at the Yale Law School in 1987.