Consulate-General of the United States in Sapporo is a consulate-general of the United States located in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. It was established on April 28, 1952.Sapporo City's International Initiatives (2016 Edition) | Sapporo City

History Although the U.S. Consulate in Sapporo was established after World War II, the history of U.S. consular offices in Hokkaido dates back to the late Edo period.

Prehistory (1854–1865) On March 31, 1854, following the signing of the Treaty of Kanagawa, relations between Japan and the United States were established. This led to the immediate opening of Shimoda, and the opening of Hakodate (now Hakodate) a year later, as well as the permission for Americans to reside in Shimoda and Hakodate."Hakodate City History" Comprehensive Edition 2 Chapter 1 Section 3-4 On April 28, 1857, American diplomat Elisha Rice arrived in Hakodate as a trade officer. On August 23, 1857, Rice started his residence in Hakodate with the endorsement of Hotta Masamitsu.Elisha E. Rice Consul, also known as Elisha Rice, Japan-US Negotiations, Japan-US Encounters

U.S. Consulate in Hakodate (1865–1876) On January 18, 1865, Rice, the trade officer, was appointed as the first consul in Hakodate, establishing the U.S. Consulate in Hakodate. Consul Rice held his position until November 2, 1870.History of U.S. Consular Activities in Hokkaido | U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Japan Following him, two consuls and two vice-consuls served. The last consul, Merriman Colbert Harris, served from November 6, 1875, to October 5, 1876. In 1876, the U.S. Consulate in Hakodate was closed. The building used as the consulate no longer exists, but a signpost marking the "Former U.S. Consulate Site" stands in Yayoi-cho 4-chome in Hakodate City.Former U.S. Consulate Site | Donan Block Museum Facilities Liaison Council

U.S. Consular Agency in Hakodate (1876 – 1883/1904 – 1918) In 1876, the U.S. Consular Agency in Hakodate was established in place of the consulate. On January 3, 1877, the former consul, Merriman Harris, took office as the first consular agent and served until February 12, 1879. The agency was temporarily closed in 1883 but reopened in 1904. On May 2, 1904, Edward Julian King became the consular agent and held the position until September 30, 1918. On November 15 of the same year, the U.S. Department of State officially closed the consular agency in Hakodate. Until the end of World War II, there was no U.S. consular presence in all of Hokkaido, including Hakodate.

Sapporo Branch, Office of the U.S. Political Adviser (1950–1952) After World War II, the United States established the Sapporo Branch, Office of the U.S. Political Adviser. This office served as the predecessor of the U.S. Consulate in Sapporo and played a significant role in supporting the establishment of the local government system in Hokkaido.WWII Post War | Hokkaido University Archives

U.S. Consulate in Sapporo (1952–1986) On April 28, 1952 (Shōwa 27), with the enforcement of the San Francisco Peace Treaty, Japan regained its independence. Accompanying this, the political adviser's office in Sapporo was closed, and the U.S. Consulate in Sapporo (Consulate of the United States in Sapporo, U.S. Consulate Sapporo) was inaugurated. This was the first establishment of a U.S. consular office in Hokkaido in 34 years and the very first U.S. consulate in Sapporo in history. David Lawrence Osborne was appointed as the inaugural consul, in what was essentially a promotion. In 1955 (Shōwa 30), the consulate relocated to North 1, West 13, Chuo-ku, Sapporo. Then, in 1978 (Shōwa 53), it moved to its current building near Maruyama Park.

U.S. Consulate-General in Sapporo (1986–present) On November 21, 1986 (Shōwa 61), the consulate was elevated to become the U.S. Consulate-General in Sapporo.

Consuls general Since the establishment of the U.S. Consulate in Sapporo in 1952, several consuls general have served. Below is a list of the consuls general:

Name Date of Appointment Date of Departure Notes Elisha E. Rice August 23, 1857 January 18, 1865 Trade Officer Elisha E. Rice January 18, 1865 November 2, 1870 Consul (Retained) Ambrose C. Dunn November 3, 1870 May 15, 1871 Consul Nathan Emory Rice May 16, 1871 July 14, 1871 Vice Consul Elisha E. Rice July 15, 1871 October 6, 1871 Consul (Reappointed) George E. Rice October 7, 1871 March 31, 1872 Vice Consul John Hart Hawes April 1, 1872 November 6, 1875 Consul Merriman Colbert Harris November 6, 1875 October 5, 1876 Vice Consul Merriman Colbert Harris January 3, 1877 February 12, 1879 Acting Consul (Retained) John H. Duss February 12, 1879 August 25, 1880 Acting Consul William C. Davisson August 25, 1880 September 19, 1882 Acting Consul Lee W. Squier September 19, 1882 July 18, 1883 Acting Consul Vacancy Edward Julian King March 2, 1904 September 30, 1918 Acting Consul Vacancy William L. Magistretti January 1950 October 1950 Political Advisor Richard Boswell Finn October 1950 February 1951 Political Advisor David Lawrence Osborn February 1951 April 1952 Political Advisor David Lawrence Osborn 1952 1953 Consul (Retained)Osborn, David L. (David Lawrence), 1921–1994 – Social Networks and Archival Context William Magistretty 1953 1953 Consul Harry. F. Pfeiffer Jr. 1953 1954 Consul Daniel Meloy 1954 1956 Consul Kingdon W. Swayne 1956 1958 Consul John Knowles 1958 1960 Consul Ronald A. Gaiduk 1960 1963 Consul John Sylvester Jr. 1963 1965 Consul William Clark Jr. 1965 1967 Consul William Tully Breer 1967 1968 Consul Martin G. Heflin 1968 1971 Consul Sunao Sakamoto 1971 1973 Consul Stephen Martin Ecton 1973 1975 Consul Lawrence F. Farrar 1975 1977 Consul Donald B. Westmore 1977 1979 Consul Christopher J. LaFleur 1979 1980 Consul Charles F. Kartman 1980 1982 Consul Robert C. Reis Jr. 1982 1984 Consul Mark C. Minton 1984 1986 Consul John R. Dinger 1986 November 1986 Consul John R. Dinger November 1986 1989 Chief Consul (Retained) Roger L. Dankert 1989 1992 Chief Consul Dennis J. Ortblad 1992 1995 Chief Consul Richard M. Gibson 1995 1996 Chief Consul Marlene J. Sakaue 1997 1998 Chief Consul W. Michael Meserve 1998 2001 Chief Consul Alec P. Wilczynski 2001 2004 Chief Consul Marrie Y. Schaefer 2004 2007 Chief Consul Donna Ann Welton 2007 2010 Chief ConsulAll people can work with pride in society. Social welfare corporation Prop Station holds a forum in Mie | Komeito Newspaper November 14, 2001 John Ries August 2010 June 2013 Chief ConsulMr. John Ries, Consul General in Sapporo, USA, and his party visited TOHOKU UNIVERSITYForeigners visiting the Hokkaido Government Office JoEllen Gorg September 2014 August 2016 Principal ConsulOctober 2013 issue – Official website of Chitose City, Hokkaido Rachel Brunette-Chen August 2016 July 2019 Principal ConsulInterview with Ms. Brunette-Chen, Principal Consul at the US Consulate in Sapporo | Hokkaido Construction Newspaper Society – e-kensin Andrew Lee August 2019 August 2022 Chief ConsulConsul General Andrew Lee – U.S. Embassy & Consulates in JapanConsul General Andrew Lee – U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Japan Mark Wuebbels August 2022 July 2025 Principal ConsulMark Wuebbels – Principal Officer, Consulate General Sapporo – U.S. Embassy & Consulates in JapanYuki Kondo-ShahAugust 2025presentPrincipal Officer https://jp.usembassy.gov/sapporo-principal-officer-yuki-kondo-shah/

References

External links