List of ambassadors of Australia to Japan

The Ambassador of Australia to Japan is an officer of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the head of the Embassy of the Commonwealth of Australia to Japan. The position has the rank and status of an Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and is based in the Australian Embassy in Tokyo. The Ambassador is currently Richard Court.

Ambassador of Australia to Japan
Incumbent
Richard Court
since 11 April 2017
StyleHis Excellency
NominatorPrime Minister of Australia
AppointerGovernor General of Australia
Inaugural holderSir John Latham
Formation17 August 1940
WebsiteAustralian Embassy, Tokyo
The Australian Embassy in Tokyo.

Posting history

Japan and Australia have enjoyed full diplomatic relations since 1940 when the Australian Legation opened and the first Minister, Sir John Latham, presented credentials to Emperor Showa in January 1941.[1] Latham's appointment replaced the semi-diplomatic work of the Australian Trade Commission in Tokyo, headed by trade commissioner Eric Edwin Longfield Lloyd, who was appointed in June 1935.[2]

Longfield Lloyd's work, notwithstanding his limited ability to engage with matters outside of trade, was complicated by his vague status as a 'Trade Commissioner', a title that had no formal recognition of diplomatic status. As Australia was the only nation present in Japan that was represented by someone other than an ambassador, minister or consul, it gradually became clear that a higher-ranked appointment was needed. In November 1937, in order to help clarify his position, the term 'Trade' was removed from Longfield Lloyd's title to become the Australian 'Commissioner' in Tokyo.[3] This did not change his diplomatic status however and Latham's appointment in August 1940 was praised as solving this issue: "[Longfield Lloyd] has been confined almost exclusively to trade matters. In this respect he has rendered excellent service to both countries. The appointment of Sir John Latham, however, to a diplomatic post in Japan is something of far more importance."[4]

Full diplomatic relations were severed between December 1941 and 1952 on account of the declaration of war and the post-war occupation of Japan.[5][6] In March 1947 a new Minister to Japan was appointed, but rather than being accredited to the Japanese Government they were accredited to the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, owing to the Occupation of Japan, and they also served as the British Commonwealth member on the Allied Council for Japan.[7]

Office-holders

Trade Commissioner/Commissioner
NameStart of termEnd of termReferences
Eric Edwin Longfield Lloyd7 June 193517 August 1940

Minister to Japan
NameStart of termEnd of termReferences
Sir John Latham17 August 19408 December 1941[8]
Suspension of relations8 December 194130 March 1947
William Macmahon Ball30 March 1947August 1947[7]
Patrick ShawAugust 1947September 1949[9]
William Roy HodgsonSeptember 194918 April 1952[10]

Ambassadors to Japan
NameStart of termEnd of termReferences
Edward Ronald Walker18 April 19521955[11]
Alan Watt19561960
Laurence McIntyre19601965[12]
Allen Brown19651970[13]
Gordon Freeth19701973
Mick Shann19731977[14]
John Menadue19771980[15]
James Plimsoll19811982
Neil Currie19821986
Geoff Miller19861989[16]
Rawdon Dalrymple19891993
Ashton Calvert19931998
Peter Grey19982001[17]
John McCarthy20012004[18]
Murray McLean20042011[19]
Bruce MillerAugust 2011January 2017[20][21][22]
Richard CourtApril 2017present[23][24][25][26]

See also

References
  1. "Sir John Latham". High Court of Australia. Archived from the original on 12 March 2014. The Rt Hon Sir John Greig Latham…He served as Australia's first ambassador to Japan in 1940–41
  2. "TRADE". The Sydney Morning Herald (30, 399). New South Wales, Australia. 8 June 1935. p. 19. Retrieved 7 May 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. Schevdin, Boris (2008). Emissaries of trade: a history of the Australian Trade Commissioner Service. Barton, ACT: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. pp. 56–57.
  4. "SIR JOHN LATHAM". The Dubbo Liberal and Macquarie Advocate. 66 (101). New South Wales, Australia. 24 August 1940. p. 3. Retrieved 7 May 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. "DIPLOMATIC STAFFS". Townsville Daily Bulletin. Qld.: National Library of Australia. 11 December 1941. p. 7. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  6. CA 2972: Australian Embassy, Japan [Tokyo], National Archives of Australia, retrieved 1 May 2015
  7. "MINISTER TO JAPAN". The Sydney Morning Herald. NSW: National Library of Australia. 31 March 1947. p. 3. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  8. "MINISTER TO JAPAN". The Sydney Morning Herald. National Library of Australia. 19 August 1940. p. 9. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  9. "Diplomat For Job In Japan". News. Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 27 August 1947. p. 1. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  10. "HODGSON NEW REP. IN JAPAN". Daily Mercury. Mackay, Qld.: National Library of Australia. 13 September 1949. p. 1. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  11. "DR. E. R. WALKER TO BE AMBASSADOR TO JAPAN". The Canberra Times. National Library of Australia. 19 April 1952. p. 4. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  12. Edwards, Peter, "McIntyre, Sir Laurence Rupert (Jim) (1912–1981)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Australian National University, archived from the original on 24 April 2013
  13. "New envoy to Japan named". The Canberra Times. 4 February 1965. p. 1. Archived from the original on 23 March 2014.
  14. "Diplomatic reshuffle announced". The Canberra Times. 27 September 1973. p. 1.
  15. John Menadue, Australian Broadcasting Commission, archived from the original on 25 April 2013
  16. "New Ambassador to Japan named". The Canberra Times. 5 July 1986. p. 10.
  17. Downer, Alexander (17 February 1998). "Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador to Japan" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  18. Downer, Alexander (19 March 2001). "Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador to Japan" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  19. Downer, Alexander (17 June 2004). "Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador to Japan" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  20. Rudd, Kevin (7 April 2011). "Diplomatic appointment: Ambassador to Japan" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014.
  21. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ambassador to Japan: Mr Bruce Miller, Australian Government, archived from the original on 14 August 2015
  22. "Diplomatic appointment: Ambassador to Japan". Brisbane: Foreign Minister of Australia. 7 April 2011. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  23. Bishop, Julie (22 November 2016). "Ambassador to Japan" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 12 January 2017.
  24. Borrello, Eliza (22 November 2016). "Former WA premier Richard Court named as ambassador to Japan". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 11 January 2017. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
  25. Taylor, Paige (4 November 2016). "Former WA premier Richard Court gets Tokyo nod". The Australian. News Corp. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
  26. McDonald, Katie (22 November 2016). "Court named ambassador to Japan". Business News Western Australia. Archived from the original on 23 November 2016. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
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