Koji Tomita Explained

Koji Tomita
Native Name Lang:ja
Ambassador From:Japanese
Country:United States
Term Start:December 25, 2020
Term End:October 24, 2023
Successor:Shigeo Yamada
Primeminister:Yoshihide Suga
Fumio Kishida
Birth Date:8 November 1957
Birth Place:Fukuoka, Japan
Nationality:Japanese

is a Japanese diplomat who served as Japanese ambassador to the United States from 2020 to 2023. He previously served as ambassador to South Korea and Israel.

Career

Koji Tomita was born on 8 November 1957, in Fukuoka, but grew up in Hyogo prefecture. He studied law at University of Tokyo and also studied as an exchange student for a year at Davidson College in the United States. Tomita joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after graduating in 1981. After joining the Ministry he was sent to Oxford University for two years to receive training in the English language and international politics.[1] [2]

Tomita's diplomatic career includes postings at the OECD Delegation in Paris and at the Japanese embassies in South Korea and the United Kingdom. In June 2012 he became minister and deputy chief of mission at the Embassy of Japan to the United States. After returning to Japan in June 2013 he was chief of the North American Bureau in the Ministry. In November 2015 he was appointed Ambassador to Israel and served until 2018, when he became ambassador in charge of the 2018 G20 summit. The following year he was appointed Ambassador to South Korea.[3]

Tomita was appointed Ambassador to the United States in December 2020. In an interview, he stated his familiarity with Obama-era officials led to his appointment as ambassador after the election of Joe Biden.[4]

Tomita was replaced in October 2023.[5]

Personal life

His wife, Noriko, is the daughter of the author Yukio Mishima. They have a son and two daughters.[6] [7]

Tomita has published two books in Japanese on British prime ministers Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher, the latter of which received the Shichihei Yamamoto Award in 2019.[8]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Japanese Ambassador Returns to the Start of His Diplomatic Path: Davidson College . . 24 March 2023 . Davidson College . 4 February 2024 .
  2. Web site: Japan – A Time of Transition. Diplomatic Connections . 24 May 2022.
  3. Web site: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the United States of America . Embassy of Japan in the United States of America . https://web.archive.org/web/20231013183319/https://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/ambassador.html . 13 October 2023 . en.
  4. News: Luxner . Larry . Japan's envoy Koji Tomita kicks off revived Ambassador Insider Series . 22 May 2022 . Washington Diplomat . 5 April 2022.
  5. News: 24 October 2023 . Japan names Yamada as ambassador to U.S., Kanasugi to China . Kyodo News . Tokyo . 17 February 2024.
  6. Web site: Japan to tap South Korea envoy Koji Tomita as U.S. ambassador. Dec 7, 2020. May 24, 2021. Kyodo News. en.
  7. Web site: Ambassador Tomita Bio . Japan-America Society of Houston . 22 May 2022.
  8. Web site: 山本七平賞受賞作品一覧. PHP Institute, Inc.. May 24, 2021. ja.