This blog post was published under the 2015 to 2024 Conservative government

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Paul Madden

British Ambassador to Japan

Part of UK in Tokyo

14th February 2017 Tokyo, Japan

First month in Japan

Well, I’ve now completed my first month in Japan. It’s been interesting comparing my experiences with the first time I was posted here more than 25 years ago. It’s hard to make direct comparisons because coming back as Ambassador after a long Foreign Office career, is different from arriving on your very first overseas posting. But I’m pleased to see that Tokyo remains a mix of the new and fascinating, alongside many familiar things I remember fondly.

Tokyo is a big, bustling city at the heart of a metropolitan area of nearly 40 million people. There is much striking new architecture, particularly around Tokyo Bay. But as in London, you can stroll around a corner and find something that takes you back to Japan’s rich history.

I was reminded of that history when I presented my credentials to the Emperor on 18 January. Dressed in morning suit you travel by horse and carriage to the Imperial Palace for a dignified and memorable ceremony with His Imperial Majesty. The Japanese Imperial family is the world’s oldest continuous monarchy.

I also had an early opportunity to meet Prime Minister Abe, as my arrival coincided with his lunch with Japanese-speaking ambassadors. Since then I have been meeting ministers and senior officials. There is a strong recognition of the importance of our bilateral relationship and the way we work closely together in many international bodies from the UN, where Japan is currently on the Security Council with us, to G7, which Japan chaired last year.

Supporting business is a top priority for the Embassy. I’ve given speeches to the Keidanren (Japan’s leading business organisation), and the British Chamber of Commerce. CEOs of the leading UK companies here came round for breakfast and briefed me on their diverse activities in Japan. I’ve also hosted a number of business events at my Residence already, in sectors ranging from nuclear to fintech. Japanese business is keenly interested in Brexit, and welcomed the clarity in the Prime Minister’s recent speech.

I made a point of getting down to Osaka in my first week to visit staff at our Consulate General there and meet local business leaders. Osaka’s Kansai region has an economy around the same size as Korea, so it matters to us.

Of course the relations between countries are not just about Ambassadors and Ministers and Business. They rest on many individual contacts too. And it has been a pleasure reconnecting with my old Japanese friends.

About Paul Madden

Paul Madden has been the British Ambassador to Japan from January 2017. He was Additional Director for Asia Pacific at the FCO in 2015.He was British High Commissioner to Australia…

Paul Madden has been the British Ambassador to Japan from January 2017.

He was Additional Director for Asia Pacific at the FCO in 2015.He was British High Commissioner to Australia until February 2015. Prior to this he was British High Commissioner in Singapore from 2007-2011.

A career diplomat, he was previously Managing Director at UK Trade and Investment (2004-2006), responsible for co-ordinating and
implementing international trade development strategies to support
companies across a wide range of business sectors.

As Assistant Director of Information at the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office (2003-2004) he was responsible for public diplomacy policy,
including managing the FCO funding of the BBC World Service, the British
Council and the Chevening Scholarships programme. He led the team
responsible for the award-winning UK pavilion at the Aichi Expo in Japan
2005.

He was Deputy High Commissioner in Singapore from 2000-2003 and has
also served in Washington (1996-2000) and Tokyo (1988-92). Between
1992-96 he worked on EU enlargement and Environmental issues at the FCO
in London.

Before joining FCO he worked at the Department of Trade and Industry
(1980-87) on a range of industrial sectors and trade policy, including
two years as a minister’s Private Secretary.

He has an MA in Economic Geography from Cambridge University, an MBA
from Durham University, studied Japanese at London University’s School
of Oriental and African Studies, and is a Fellow of the Royal
Geographical Society. His first book, Raffles: Lessons in Business
Leadership, was published in 2003.

Married to Sarah, with three children, he was born in 1959, in Devon.

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