Ryozo Kato, director general of the Asian Affairs Bureau at the Foreign Ministry, was appointed July 29 as director general of the Foreign Policy Bureau. He will be succeeded by Koreshige Anami, 56, second in command at the embassy in China.
Kato, 55, became chief at the Asian Affairs Bureau in August 1995 and has worked intensively to improve ties with China and South Korea, which have become strained due to a series of incidents, including those linked to territorial disputes. Yutaka Kawashima, 55, current director general of the Foreign Policy Bureau, was named new ambassador to Israel, and Atsushi Hatakenaka, 57, director general of the Economic Cooperation Bureau, will become ambassador to South Africa, the ministry said. The appointments take effect August 1.