Sugiyama to be named as ambassador to U.S.

December 25, 2017

Tokyo- The Japanese government plans to name Vice Foreign Minister Shinsuke Sugiyama as the country's next ambassador to the United States, officials said Saturday.

Sugiyama, 64, will succeed Kenichiro Sasae, 66, who assumed the ambassadorial post in September 2012.

Senior Deputy Foreign Minister Takeo Akiba, 59, is likely to take over as vice foreign minister, the officials said.

The cabinet is expected to decide on these appointments as early as January.

Sugiyama, who joined the Foreign Ministry in 1977, served in such posts as director-general of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau and senior deputy foreign minister before assuming the current post in June 2016.

The government sees Sugiyama, who has long been involved in North Korea policy, as the right person to help Tokyo stay in close cooperation with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Akiba entered the ministry in 1982. He served in such posts as director-general of the Foreign Policy Bureau before taking up the present post in June last year.

He has been engaged in policy coordination on proposed joint economic activities by Japan and Russia on and around four disputed northwestern Pacific islands. Jiji Press