Keiichi Hayashi (林 景一, Hayashi Keiichi, born 8 February 1951) is a Japanese diplomat. From 2011 to 2016, he served as the Japanese ambassador to the United Kingdom.[1]

Keiichi Hayashi
Ambassador of Japan to the United Kingdom
In office
January 11, 2011 – June 6, 2016
MonarchAkihito
Prime MinisterNaoto Kan
Yoshihiko Noda
Shinzō Abe
Preceded byShin Ebihara
Succeeded byKoji Tsuruoka
Ambassador of Japan to Ireland
In office
2005–2008
MonarchAkihito
Prime MinisterJunichiro Koizumi
Shinzō Abe
Yasuo Fukuda
Tarō Asō
Preceded byTakeshi Kagami
Succeeded byToshinao Urabe
Personal details
Born (1951-02-08) 8 February 1951 (age 73)
Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan
ProfessionDiplomat

Biography edit

Keiichi Hayashi was born on 8 February 1951 in Yamaguchi Prefecture.[2]

In 1973, Hayashi stayed in Folkestone, in the UK, for three months to attend an English language school.[1] One of his English teachers was the wife of a retired diplomat, and this encouraged him to pursue a career as a diplomat.[1]

Career edit

In 1974, Hayashi joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[2]

From 1996, Hayashi spent three years at the Embassy in London, first as a political counsellor, and then as a political minister.[1]

He served as Japanese Ambassador to Ireland from 2005 to 2008.[3]

He returned to the UK in 2010 as Minister Plenipotentiary to the UK.[1]

On 11 January 2011, he was appointed Japanese ambassador to the United Kingdom.[1]

Hayashi attended the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey in London on 29 April 2011, officially representing Japan in place of the Emperor and Empress of Japan, who had to decline following the Great East Japan earthquake of 11 March 2011.[4]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Embassy of Japan in the UK". Uk.emb-japan.go.jp. 11 January 2011. Archived from the original on 29 September 2012. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  2. ^ a b 内閣官房副長官補 [Assistant Chief Cabinet Secretary]. Cabinet Secretariat (in Japanese). Japan. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  3. ^ March 11th and Beyond, by Ambassador Keiichi Hayashi - Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation
  4. ^ ウィリアム英王子が結婚 キャサリン妃と新時代へ [Prince William and Catherine enter new era]. Sponichi Annex (in Japanese). Japan: Sports Nippon Newspapers. 29 April 2011. Archived from the original on 2011-05-01. Retrieved 7 October 2012.

External links edit

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Ambassador of Japan to the United Kingdom
2011-2016
Succeeded by
Preceded by Ambassador of Japan to Ireland
2005-2008
Succeeded by