The ambassador of the United Kingdom to Japan is the United Kingdom's foremost diplomatic representative in Japan, and is the head of the UK's diplomatic mission there.

The following is a chronological list of British heads of mission (ministers and ambassadors) in Japan from 1859. Before 1905, there were no ambassadors exchanged between the two countries, the highest rank being envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiarya 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).

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 ElginNussbaum, Louis Frédéric et al. (2005). "Elgin, James Bruce, Eighth Duke of" in ; n.b., Louis-Frédéric is pseudonym of Louis-Frédéric Nussbaum, see Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Authority File .   1858 1858Queen VictoriaSir Rutherford AlcockNussbaum, "Alcock, Rutherford,"  1859 1865Sir Harry ParkesNussbaum, "Parkes, Harry Smith,"  1865 1883Sir Francis PlunkettIan Nish. (2004). British Envoys in Japan 1859-1972, pp. 53-62. 1884 1887Hugh FraserNish, pp. 63-71. 1889 1894Power Henry Le Poer TrenchNish, pp. 72-77. 1894 1895Sir Ernest SatowNussbaum, "Satow, Ernest Mason,"  1895 1900Sir Claude MacDonaldNish, pp. 94-102. 1900 1905

Ambassadors Head of mission Tenure  begins Tenure  ends British monarch  Japanese emperor Sir Claude MacDonald 1905 1912Sir Conyngham GreeneNish, pp. 103-113.  1912 1919George VSir Charles EliotNussbaum, "Eliot, Charles Norton Edgcumbe,"  1919 1925Sir John TilleyNish, pp. 123-131. 1926 1931Sir Francis LindleyNish, pp. 132-139. 1931 1934Sir Robert Clive 1934 1937Sir Robert CraigieNish, pp. 140-156. 1937 1941

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

During World War II, Setsuya Beppu worked in a consulate in Dublin in the Irish Free State, and was responsible for the Japanese citizens in the UK and Ireland.

Political representatives Sir Alvary Gascoigne (1946–1951)Hoare, James. (1999). Sir Esler Dening (1951–1952)Nish, pp. 173-178.

Ambassadors Head of mission Tenure  begins Tenure  ends British monarch  Japanese emperor Sir Esler Dening     1952 1957Elizabeth IISir Daniel LascellesNish, pp. 179-184. 1957 1959Sir Oscar MorlandNish, pp. 185-193. 1959 1963Sir Francis RundallNish, pp. 194-201. 1963 1967Sir John PilcherNish, pp. 202-216. 1967 1972Sir Fred Warner 1972 1975Sir Michael Wilford 1975 1980Sir Hugh Cortazzi 1980 1984Sir Sydney Giffard 1984 1986Sir John Whitehead 1986 1992Sir John Boyd 1992 1996Sir David Wright 1996 1999Sir Stephen Gomersall                  1999 2004Sir Graham Fry 2004 2008Sir David Warren 2008 2012Tim Hitchens 2012 2016Paul Madden 2017 2021Julia Longbottom 20212026 Elizabeth IICharles IIICorin Robertson2026 Charles III

See also British Embassy, Tokyo Embassy of Japan, London List of ambassadors of Japan to the United Kingdom Japan–United Kingdom relations Anglo-Japanese Friendship Treaty Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Amity and Commerce Anglo-Japanese Alliance Treaty of San Francisco Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Foreign relations of the United Kingdom

Notes

References Hoare, James. (1999). Embassies in the East: the Story of the British Embassies in Japan, China, and Korea from 1859 to the Present. Richmond, Surrey: Curzon Press. ; OCLC 42645589 Ian Nish. (2004). British Envoys in Japan 1859-1972. Folkestone, Kent: Global Oriental. ; OCLC 249167170 Nussbaum, Louis Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). Japan Encyclopedia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ; OCLC 48943301

External links