List of Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to Japan

British Ambassador to Japan

Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom
Incumbent
Sir David Warren
since 2008
Inaugural holder Sir Claude MacDonald
Formation 1905
Website http://ukinjapan.fco.gov.uk/en/

The following is a chronological list of British heads of mission (ministers and ambassadors) in Japan, 1859–as of 2004. Before 1905, there were no ambassadors exchanged between the two countries, the highest rank being envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary – a rank just below ambassador. Before 1859, there was no treaty and no diplomatic relations, because Japan was isolated from the world by the Tokugawa shogunate's policy of national isolation called sakoku (literally locked country).

Contents

List of heads of mission

Envoys Extraordinary and Ministers Plenipotentiary

Head of mission  Tenure 
begins		  Tenure 
ends		  British monarch   Japanese emperor 
James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin[1]    1858  1858
Queen Victoria
Kōmei
Sir Rutherford Alcock[2]  1859  1864
Sir Harry Parkes[3]  1865  1883
Meiji
Sir Francis Plunkett[4]  1884  1887
Hugh Fraser[5]  1889  1894
Power Henry Le Poer Trench[6]  1894  1895
Sir Ernest Satow[7]  1895  1900
Sir Claude MacDonald[8]  1900  1905
Edward VII

Ambassadors

Head of mission  Tenure 
begins		  Tenure 
ends		  British monarch   Japanese emperor 
Sir Claude MacDonald[8]  1905  1912
Edward VII
Meiji
Sir William Conyngham Greene[9]   1912  1919
George V
Taishō
Sir Charles Eliot[10]  1919  1925
Sir John Tilley[11]  1926  1931
Shōwa
Sir Francis Lindley[12]  1931  1934
Sir Robert Clive[13]  1934  1937
Sir Robert Craigie[14]  1937  1941
George VI

No representation (1941–1946, due to World War II)

Political Representative

Ambassadors

Head of mission  Tenure 
begins		  Tenure 
ends		  British monarch   Japanese emperor 
Sir Esler Dening[16]      1952  1957
Elizabeth II
Shōwa
Sir Daniel Lascelles[17]  1957  1959
Sir Oscar Morland[18]  1959  1963
Sir Francis Rundall[19]  1963  1967
Sir John Pilcher[20]  1967  1972
Sir Fred Warner  1972  1975
Sir Michael Wilford  1975  1980
Sir Hugh Cortazzi  1980  1984
Sir Sydney Giffard  1984  1986
Sir John Whitehead  1986  1992
Akihito
Sir John Boyd  1992  1996
Sir David Wright  1996  1999
Sir Stephen Gomersall                   1999  2004
Sir Graham Fry  2004  2008
Sir David Warren  2008

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Nussbaum, Louis Frédéric et al. (2005). "Elgin, James Bruce, Eighth Duke of" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 174. at Google Books; n.b., Louis-Frédéric is pseudonym of Louis-Frédéric Nussbaum, see Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Authority File.
  2. ^ Nussbaum, "Alcock, Rutherford," pp. 22-23. at Google Books
  3. ^ Nussbaum, "Parkes, Harry Smith," p. 174. at Google Books
  4. ^ Ian Nish. (2004). British Envoys in Japan 1859-1972, pp. 53-62.
  5. ^ Nish, pp. 63-71.
  6. ^ Nish, pp. 72-77.
  7. ^ Nussbaum, "Satow, Ernest Mason," p. 829. at Google Books
  8. ^ a b Nish, pp. 94-102.
  9. ^ Nish, pp. 103-113.
  10. ^ Nussbaum, "Eliot, Charles Norton Edgcumbe," p. 174. at Google Books
  11. ^ Nish, pp. 123-131.
  12. ^ Nish, pp. 132-139.
  13. ^ Peerage: Sir Robert Henry Clive, ID#239924
  14. ^ Nish, pp. 140-156.
  15. ^ Hoare, James. (1999). Embassies in the East: the Story of the British Embassies in Japan, China, and Korea from 1859 to the Present, p. 214. at Google Books
  16. ^ a b Nish, pp. 173-178.
  17. ^ Nish, pp. 179-184.
  18. ^ Nish, pp. 185-193.
  19. ^ Nish, pp. 194-201.
  20. ^ Nish, pp. 202-216.

References

External links

Ambassadors
High Commissioners
Consuls-General
Permanent Representatives