| Mitoji Yabunaka | |
|---|---|
| Mitoji Yabunaka in 2005 | |
| Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 2007 |
|
| Preceded by | Tsuneo Nishida |
| Director-General of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau | |
| In office 2002–2005 |
|
| Preceded by | Hitoshi Tanaka |
Mitoji Yabunaka (薮中 三十二 Yabunaka Mitoji, born January 23, 1948) is the current Japanese Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs[1] in charge of administration.[2] Prior to his current position, Yabunaka served as Ministry of Foreign Affair's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau Director-General.[3][4] He has been a diplomat for nearly forty years.[5]
Before entering government service, Yabanuka was a senior researcher at the International Institute for Strategic Studies from 1990-1991.[6] Yabunaka became Consul General from Japan to the United States in 1998, and visited the country on several occasions.[5]
Yabunaka has represented Japan on a number of occasions, and has negotiated trade deals with the United States, Australia,[7] and Indonesia.[8] He has had contact with a number of United States diplomats, including hosting current United States Ambassador to Japan John Roos shortly following Roos' appointment.[9] During the first, second, and third rounds of the Six-party talks, Yabunaka represented Japan as chief delegate.[10] The Japanese government also sent Yabanuka as a delegate to China to discuss issues of natural gas reserves under the East China Sea.[11]
He handled Myanmar relations during the Kenji Nagai shooting incident, demanding an investigation and challenging governmental claims.[12] Yabunaka replaced Toshiyuki Takano as Director-General of Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau in 2002.[13] In 2008, Yabunaka held talks with South Korean Ambassador Kwon Chul Hyun over disputed islets in the Sea of Japan.[14]