Bessho was born in Hyōgo Prefecture and lived in New Zealand as an elementary and junior high school student.

He worked in the Japanese Embassy in Washington D.C. from 1990 to 1993, and in 1995 was appointed head of the Northeast Asia Division of the Foreign Ministry.

[1] As ambassador to South Korea, he made efforts to resolve the ongoing controversy between the two countries surrounding the comfort women issue.

[3] Sankei Shimbun Seoul correspondent Katsuhiro Kuroda described Bessho as one of the "best five" of the fourteen Japanese ambassadors to South Korea since 1977, praising his English ability and his good relationship with the press.

[4] As Permanent Representative Bessho served as rotating president of the UN Security Council in July 2016, and was responsible for tallying the ballots in the United Nations Secretary-General selection held that month.