Ambassador's Blog

A fond farewell

It is hard to believe that it is more than three years since I arrived in London as Japanese Ambassador. During our stay, Yooko and I have travelled to many different parts of the UK and tried to immerse ourselves in the life of the country. However, all good things must come to an end and in mid-October I received the instruction from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tokyo to return home. It seems to be part of the life of a diplomat that we are required to make such moves at short notice.

With little more than a month left in the UK, I decided to make sure we made the most of it. My having much to do in such a short time did make life somewhat difficult for my staff. My diary was already very full with commitments which I did not want to drop just because I would be leaving, but at the same time I wanted the chance to say goodbye to as many people as possible.

At the start of October, before I was aware of my impending return to Japan, I received a visit from Her Royal Highness Princess Akiko, who was in London for the launch of the exhibition Nara – Sacred Images from Japan at the British Museum. She gave a lecture and attended the opening of this fascinating exhibition, which showcases masterpieces rarely seen together outside Japan. I also hosted a tea at my Residence in honour of Her Royal Highness, together with guests from backgrounds relevant to Her Royal Highness’s interests in art. Although Princess Akiko has now returned to Japan, the exhibition is still running and I highly recommend you see it before it ends!

The following week, on the 8th, I made my way to Derby. Although I have visited the city a number of times as it is home to Toyota’s manufacturing base in the UK, this time I was there for the start of a Japanese woodblock print exhibition. This impressive collection of masterpieces had been lent by the Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford, a generous gesture allowing people elsewhere in the country to enjoy it.

On 10 October I had the pleasure of speaking at an event hosted by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). The occasion brought together athletes and participants from the Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games as well as providing the backdrop to an announcement of several of the athletes who will be going to Tokyo 2020. I spoke alongside Sir Hugh Robertson, Chairman of the British Olympic Association, and Heather Wheeler MP, the Asia Minister. It was a hugely enjoyable opportunity to join illustrious veterans of the 1964 Games, including Dame Mary Peters and Lord Campbell of Pittenweem, both to celebrate the past and to look forward to the exploits of Team GB’s next generation of participants. It also brought home to me that there is now under one year to go until Tokyo 2020!

The 10th was indeed a busy day! After speaking at the Foreign Office, I headed to Royal Holloway University. Having been approached some time ago to give a lecture there, I addressed over 100 students and members of staff of the University on Japan’s role in the world. It is a great pleasure on such occasions to see how engaged young people are in the world around us.

On 22 October, His Majesty Emperor Naruhito was enthroned in a ceremony in Tokyo. A large number of international dignitaries were present, including His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. Although the Embassy was closed for the day in honour of the enthronement, I attended a celebratory dinner at Merton College, University of Oxford. His Majesty had previously studied in Oxford and had remarked that it was perhaps his happiest time, so it felt a fitting way to mark such a momentous occasion.

The following day, it was my very agreeable duty to present a Commendation to Mr Kenji Sakatsuji, a tour guide in the City of London. Mr Sakatsuji kindly volunteers his time to conduct free tours – making sure everyone gets to see the very best of London!

As news of my imminent departure spread, I received a number of invitations to lunches and dinners to mark my time here. Of course, I was sadly not able to accept them all as my diary was already heavily committed. However, I did join a number of them, including those with Her Excellency The Ambassador of Korea, His Excellency The Ambassador of Jordan, Sir Roger Gifford and luminaries of the International Business and Diplomatic Exchange, an organisation of which I have been a member during my time in London.

I ended the month with a visit by Judge Keiichi Hayashi, my predecessor as Ambassador of Japan to the UK but now a Justice on the Supreme Court in Japan. Judge Hayashi was in London to meet with his opposite numbers here and I hosted a dinner for him and several of those counterparts. Yooko and I began November by celebrating our stay with our colleagues here. The Embassy staff had kindly organised a gathering to enable us to say farewell to all of them while enjoying food and drink and reminiscing on our adventures in London and beyond.

The diary since then has largely been full of goodbye calls from businesses, individuals and friends. One of these included The Marshall of HM Diplomatic Corps, Mr Alistair Harrison. He is Her Majesty The Queen’s Representative to the Diplomatic Corps. He paid a call on Yooko and me at our Residence and presented us with a signed picture of Her Majesty and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh. You can be sure that this picture will have pride of place in our Tokyo home! The last major event I hosted here as Ambassador was my farewell reception. Held at the Embassy, this was an opportunity to thank those with whom I had worked closely and who had helped my wife and me to have such an enjoyable stay here. Not everyone was able to attend but it was a thoroughly agreeable occasion. The Rt. Hon. Jeremy Hunt favoured us with a few remarks, which were far kinder than I deserved!

My remaining week in London will largely consist of packing and organising my office ahead of my departure. I would like to thank each and every one of you for reading my blog and engaging with me during my stay. I hope to continue tweeting when back in Tokyo, so please follow me at @AmbKoji.

I am confident that the relationship between the UK and Japan will continue to thrive and I leave knowing that all of you are doing your best to make sure that happens!


Koji Tsuruoka
Ambassador