Mitoji Yabunaka

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]

Mitoji Yabunaka
Profile of a middle-aged Japanese man from the chest up wearing a dark suit, blue tie, and glasses. His hair is greying to a silver.
Mitoji Yabunaka in 2005
Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs
Assumed office
2007
Preceded byTsuneo Nishida
Director-General of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau
In office
2002–2005
Preceded byHitoshi Tanaka

Diplomacy

Before entering government service, Yabunaka was a senior researcher at the International Institute for Strategic Studies from 1990-1991.[6] In 1998, Yabunaka became Consul General of Japan in Chicago US, 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]

Notes
  1. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (2009).
  2. The Mainichi Daily News (2009).
  3. Funabashi (2007), 44.
  4. Xinhua (2003).
  5. Potter (2000).
  6. IISS (2008).
  7. Cameron (2005).
  8. Jakarta Post (2006).
  9. Hongo (2009).
  10. McDonald (2004).
  11. The China Post (2008).
  12. Kyodo News (2007).
  13. Jiji (2002).
  14. Xinhua (2008).

References
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