We are delighted to welcome the British Ambassador to Japan, Julia Longbottom CMG, to address the Japan Society at the end of her first year in post. While undoubtedly overshadowed by the pandemic, the work of the Embassy has of course continued amidst growing geopolitical tensions, the global challenge of meeting climate change targets and ongoing trade negotiations including the UK's bid to join the CPTPP agreement. In this lecture, Julia Longbottom will share her views on the political, diplomatic and business situation in Japan from her unique perspective as the UK’s representative in Tokyo.

The Society’s annual lecture by the current British Ambassador is always relevant, thought-provoking and useful to people from across its membership, and we are extremely pleased to be able to once again invite our members to attend the lecture in-person. The Ambassador will speak for 30-40 minutes, after which there will be time for off-the-record discussion and questions.

There will be a reception immediately after the lecture. The Japan Society is extremely grateful to leading Corporate Member, Nomura International plc, for hosting this event.

Please note that places are limited and we recommend early booking if you wish to join us in person. The lecture will also be live-streamed for members who wish to attend virtually.

Julia Longbottom was appointed British Ambassador to Japan in March 2021. She has spent over half her career as a diplomat working on North-East Asian affairs. This includes two previous postings to the British Embassy in Tokyo, first as Second Secretary Political in 1990 to 1993, then Minister and Deputy Head of Mission in 2012 to 2016. In the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) in London, she led on Hong Kong Nationality and Immigration issues in 1994 to 1997, and headed the Far Eastern, then China, Department in 2009 to 2012. She is a Japanese speaker, and the first woman to hold the post of British Ambassador to Japan. Prior to this, she was the FCO’s Director for Consular Services globally (2016 to 2020), and set up and ran the Coronavirus Task Force for 6 months in 2020. She has held a range of other roles including Director of Strategy and Human Resources in UK Trade & Investment (2006 to 2009), Consul General in Warsaw (2003-2006), and Head of Political/EU affairs in the British Embassy in The Hague (1998-2002).

If you have any questions, please call the Japan Society office on 020 3075 1996 or email us at: events@japansociety.org.uk