The government has appointed Tetsusaburo Hayashi, former executive vice president of the Japan External Trade Organization, as ambassador to Venezuela and Kazuaki Obe as ambassador to Uruguay.

Hayashi, 61, who joined JETRO in 1974 after graduating from Kyushu University, served as the trade organization's executive vice president between August 2009 and last month.

Obe, 60, who joined the Foreign Ministry in 1978 after graduating from Soka University, was previously consul general in Sao Paulo.

Starting last July, he worked in an organization under the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry aimed at supporting small and medium-size firms.