Former Ambassador to South Africa Yoshizo Konishi has been appointed ambassador to Peru, a post vacant since May when Morihisa Aoki resigned to take responsibility for the Lima hostage crisis, the Foreign Ministry announced July 1.
Konishi, 63, served as ambassador to South Africa from December 1994 to last month and Nicaragua between 1987 and 1992. The ministry also appointed 60-year-old Shunji Yanai vice minister, replacing Sadayuki Hayashi, who has become an adviser to the ministry. Yanai was deputy minister in charge of political affairs before taking the post.
Minoru Tanba, 59, former ambassador to Saudi Arabia, was appointed deputy minister in charge of political affairs, and 55-year-old Toshiyuki Takano became director general of the North American Affairs Bureau. Tanba served as ambassador to Saudi Arabia from August 1994 until June 1997. Takano was minister at the Japanese Embassy in Seoul between January 1996 and June 1997.
Ukeru Magosaki, 53, former ambassador to Uzbekistan, became director general of the Intelligence and Analysis Bureau. New ambassadors to Bahrain, Denmark, Egypt, Iran, Nicaragua, Norway, Poland and Saudi Arabia were also appointed.