Japan appoints Shinichi Nishimiya as new ambassador to China
Tokyo moves to replace incumbent with career diplomat known for his 'stubborn character' in dealing with Chinese officials
Career diplomat Shinichi Nishimiya will replace Uichiro Niwa as Japan's ambassador to China, Tokyo announced yesterday.
Niwa, 73, the first private-sector appointee to become ambassador to China, has been criticised in Japan for his perceived pro-China stance on a territorial dispute in the East China Sea.
Nishimiya's appointment is being seen as a setback to Tokyo's efforts to break with a tradition of bureaucrat-led governance.
Japanese media reported that Nishimiya, 60, was expected to become ambassador next month or later, even though such changeovers traditionally happen in mid-September.
Niwa will stay on longer because September 29 marks the 40th anniversary of the normalisation of diplomatic relations between Japan and China and because China's ruling Communist Party is preparing for a once-in-a-decade leadership transition.
Nishimiya, the head of the Japanese foreign ministry's North American affairs bureau, graduated from the prestigious Tokyo University law school.
He is not believed to be an expert in Chinese affairs - unlike most previous Japanese ambassadors to China - though he spent a year and a half working at the Japanese embassy in Beijing from August 2005.