Biographical Note

NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF JAPAN PRESENTS CREDENTIALS

 

(Based on information received from the Protocol and Liaison Service.)

Kenzo Oshima, the new Permanent Representative of Japan, presented his credentials today to Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Before his current appointment, Mr. Oshima was Japan’s Ambassador to Australia since 2003.  From 2001 to 2003, he served as Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs at United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Between 1999 and 2001, he was Secretary-General of the International Peace Cooperation Headquarters, within the Cabinet Office of Japan.

Mr. Oshima has held several posts within his country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including Director-General of the Economic Cooperation Bureau, from 1997 to 1999, and Deputy Director-General of the Asian Affairs Bureau, from 1995 to 1997.  He served as the Managing Director of the General Affairs Department of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) between 1993 and 1995.

A career diplomat, Mr. Oshima has also served in his country’s embassies in Washington (1990–1991), and Canberra (1983-1984).  He was Director of the Technical Cooperation Division of the Economic Cooperation Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1985.

Having passed his Higher Diplomatic Service Examination in 1966, Mr. Oshima graduated from TokyoUniversity’s Law Faculty in 1967 and entered the Foreign Service that year.

Born in 1943, Mr. Oshima is married with two children.

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