List of ambassadors of Japan to Chile

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Ambassador of Japan to Chile
Incumbent
Kenko Sone
曽根健孝
since October 2025
AppointerEmperor Naruhito
Inaugural holderHioki Eki (日置 益)
WebsiteEmbassy of Japan in Chile

The Ambassador of Japan to Chile is an officer of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the head of the Embassy of Japan to Chile.

The first Japanese ambassador was Hioki Eki, who presented his credentials to Chilean president Pedro Montt in 1909. Carlos Morla Vicuña was his counterpart as the first Chilean ambassador sent to Tokyo.

Japan and Chile's diplomatic relationship goes back to 1897 when Hoshi Tōru, a foreign minister to the United States, and Domingo Gana for Chile, negotiated the Treaty of Amity, Commerce and Navigation between the two countries in Washington D.C.[1] It would be Chile's first treaty with an Asian country. The treaty would be ratified in Japan under the Saionji Kinmochi administration with Hioki dispatched under Foreign Minister Komura Jutarō. The two countries continue to maintain important academic and ecconomic relations between the two countries today.[2][3][4]

The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintains its chancery (jp) in the Santiago commune of Providencia, and a residence in Vitacura.[5]

List of representatives

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See also: List of Chilean ambassadors to Japan on the Spanish language wiki at (Embajadores de Chile en Japón) or the Japanese language wiki at (日本とチリの関係)

This is a chronological list of Japanese diplomats.

No. Name Portrait Rank Accredited Emperor President Notes
1 Hioki Eki
(日置 益) 		Minister Plenipotentiary
(特命全権公使) 		July 1, 1909 Meiji Pedro Montt [6]
2 Fujii Minoru
(藤井 實) 		Resident minister
(外交官補) 		October 4, 1911 Meiji Ramón Barros Luco [6]
* Hioki Eki
(日置 益) 		Minister Plenipotentiary
(特命全権公使) 		October 13, 1912 Taishō Ramón Barros Luco [6]
3 Kondō Sunaokichi
(近藤 愿吉) 		Resident minister
(外交官補) 		June 11, 1914 Taishō Ramón Barros Luco [6]
* Iijima Kametarō
(飯島 亀太郎) 		Chargé d'affaires
ad interim
(臨時代理大使) 		August 14, 1914 Taishō Ramón Barros Luco [6]
4 Tatsuke Shichita
(田付 七太) 		Minister Plenipotentiary
(特命全権公使) 		February 2, 1918 Taishō Juan Luis Sanfuentes [6]
* Amari Zoji
(甘利 造次) 		Chargé d'affaires
ad interim
(臨時代理大使) 		December 25, 1920 Taishō Arturo Alessandri [6]
* Kurusu Saburō
(来栖三郎) 		Chargé d'affaires
ad interim
(臨時代理大使) 		March 2, 1923 Taishō Arturo Alessandri [6]
5 Sakenobe Nobumichi
(鮭延 信道) 		Minister Plenipotentiary
(特命全権公使) 		October 2, 1924 Taishō Luis Altamirano [6]
* Kitazawa Taizō
(北沢 泰三) 		Chargé d'affaires
ad interim
(臨時代理大使) 		September 11, 1927 Hirohito Carlos Ibáñez del Campo [6]
6 Mori Yasusaburō
(森 安三郎) 		Minister Plenipotentiary
(特命全権公使) 		May 31, 1930 Hirohito Carlos Ibáñez del Campo [6]
* Tamagi Katsujirō
(玉木 勝次郎) 		Chargé d'affaires
ad interim
(臨時代理大使) 		May 10, 1933 Hirohito Arturo Alessandri [6]
7 Yano Makoto
(外交 官) 		Minister Plenipotentiary
(特命全権公使) 		February 16, 1934 Hirohito Arturo Alessandri [6]
* Hayao Suetaka
(早尾 季鷹) 		Chargé d'affaires
ad interim
(臨時代理大使) 		April 21, 1936 Hirohito Arturo Alessandri [6]
8 Miyake Tetsuichirō
(三宅 哲一郎) 		Minister Plenipotentiary
(特命全権公使) 		July 25, 1936 Hirohito Arturo Alessandri [6]
9 Shiozaki Kanzō
(塩崎 観三) 		Minister Plenipotentiary
(特命全権公使) 		January 4, 1940 Hirohito Pedro Aguirre Cerda [6]
* Kawasaki Eiji
(川崎 栄治) 		Chargé d'affaires
ad interim
(臨時代理大使) 		September 20, 1940 Hirohito Pedro Aguirre Cerda [6]
10 Yamagata Kiyoshi
(山形 清) 		Minister Plenipotentiary
(特命全権公使) 		October 22, 1941 Hirohito Juan Antonio Ríos [6]
* Diplomatic relations suspended on 16 September, 1943, due to World War 2 [6]
11 Narita Katsushirō
(成田 勝四郎) 		Minister Plenipotentiary
(特命全権公使) 		January 3, 1953 Hirohito Carlos Ibáñez del Campo [6]
* Satō Ryōzu
(佐藤 量寿) 		Chargé d'affaires
ad interim
(臨時代理大使) 		December 11, 1956 Hirohito Carlos Ibáñez del Campo [6]
12 Yaguchi Rokurō
(矢口 麓蔵) 		Minister Plenipotentiary
(特命全権公使) 		March 6, 1957 Hirohito Carlos Ibáñez del Campo [6]
* Yaguchi Rokurō
(矢口 麓蔵) 		Ambassador
(特命全権公使) 		May 15, 1957 Hirohito Carlos Ibáñez del Campo [6]
* Andō Ryuichi
(安藤 龍一) 		Chargé d'affaires
ad interim
(臨時代理大使) 		November 1, 1960 Hirohito Jorge Alessandri [6]
13 Tanaka Mitsuo
(田中 三男) 		Ambassador
(特命全権公使) 		March 10, 1961 Hirohito Jorge Alessandri [6]
* Iwama Tatsuo
(岩間 龍夫) 		Chargé d'affaires
ad interim
(臨時代理大使) 		October 7, 1963 Hirohito Jorge Alessandri [6]
14 Kanayama Masahide
(金山 英勢) 		Ambassador
(特命全権公使) 		December 3, 1963 Hirohito Jorge Alessandri [6]
* Itō Masao
(伊藤 政雄) 		Chargé d'affaires
ad interim
(臨時代理大使) 		February 5, 1967 Hirohito Eduardo Frei Montalva [6]
15 Takahashi Satoru
(高橋 覚) 		Ambassador
(特命全権公使) 		May 2, 1967 Hirohito Eduardo Frei Montalva [6]
* Itō Masao
(伊藤 政雄) 		Chargé d'affaires
ad interim
(臨時代理大使) 		July 31, 1969 Hirohito Eduardo Frei Montalva [6]
16 Satō Sakito
(佐藤 崎人) 		Ambassador
(特命全権公使) 		August 4, 1969 Hirohito Eduardo Frei Montalva [6]
* Inayoshi Hidezō
(稲吉 日出蔵) 		Chargé d'affaires
ad interim
(臨時代理大使) 		August 8, 1972 Hirohito Salvador Allende [6]
17 Endō Matao
(遠藤 又男) 		Ambassador
(特命全権公使) 		September 25, 1972 Hirohito Salvador Allende [6]
* Akimoto Kenjirō
(秋本 健志郎) 		Chargé d'affaires
ad interim
(臨時代理大使) 		July 29, 1975 Hirohito Augusto Pinochet [6]
18 Yamashita Shigeaki
(山下 重明) 		Ambassador
(特命全権公使) 		February 1, 1976 Hirohito Augusto Pinochet [6]
* Inayoshi Hidezō
(稲吉 日出蔵) 		Chargé d'affaires
ad interim
(臨時代理大使) 		October 3, 1979 Hirohito Augusto Pinochet [7]
20 Akatani Genichi
(赤谷 源一) 		Ambassador
(特命全権公使) 		November 19, 1979 Hirohito Augusto Pinochet [7]
* Rokuzo Yukio
(六条 幸雄) 		Chargé d'affaires
ad interim
(臨時代理大使) 		November 19, 1983 Hirohito Augusto Pinochet [7]
21 Komura Kouichi
(小村 康一) 		Ambassador
(特命全権公使) 		December 1, 1983 Hirohito Augusto Pinochet [7]
* Hanawa Tetsuo
(塙 哲夫) 		Chargé d'affaires
ad interim
(臨時代理大使) 		April 6, 1986 Hirohito Augusto Pinochet [7]
22 Nomiyama Shuichi
(野見山 修一) 		Ambassador
(特命全権公使) 		August 1, 1986 Hirohito Augusto Pinochet [7]
* Kubo Hiromitsu
(久保 光弘) 		Chargé d'affaires
ad interim
(臨時代理大使) 		November 9, 1989 Hirohito Augusto Pinochet [7]
23 Shikama Rikio
(色摩 力夫) 		Ambassador
(特命全権公使) 		December 19, 1989~1992 Akihito Augusto Pinochet [7]
24~25 no citations currently found - please add if available [7]
~26 Narita Yubun
(成田右文) 		Ambassador
(特命全権公使) 		~1999 Akihito Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle [4]
~27 Ogawa Hajime
(小川元) 		Ambassador
(特命全権公使) 		2002 Akihito Ricardo Lagos [8]
~28 Hayashi Wataru
(林渉) 		Ambassador
(特命全権公使) 		August 2007 Akihito Michelle Bachelet [9]
~29 Murakami Hidenori
(村上秀徳) 		Ambassador
(特命全権公使) 		September 1, 2011 Akihito Sebastián Piñera [3]
~30 Nikai Naoto
(二階 尚人) 		Ambassador
(特命全権公使) 		August 5, 2014 Akihito Michelle Bachelet [10][11]
~31 Hiraishi Yoshinobu
(平石 好伸) 		Ambassador
(特命全権公使) 		April 2017 Akihito Michelle Bachelet [12][13]
~32 Shibuya Kazuhisa
(渋谷 和久) 		Ambassador
(特命全権公使) 		September 8, 2020 Naruhito Sebastián Piñera [14][15]
~33 Ito Kyoko
(伊藤 恭子) 		Ambassador
(特命全権公使) 		December 28, 2023 Naruhito Gabriel Boric [16]
~34 Sone Kenko
(曽根 健孝) 		Ambassador
(特命全権公使) 		October 2025 Naruhito Gabriel Boric [17]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Tanaka, Akihiko. "Treaty of Amity and Commerce and Navigation between the Republic of Chile and the Empire of Japan". University of Tokyo National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies. Database of Japanese Politics and International Relations. Retrieved 4 September 2025.
  2. ^ "チリ共和国（Republic of Chile） 基礎データ". mofa.go.jp.
  3. ^ a b "Visit of TAO site by Mr. Hidenori Murakami, Japan Ambassador in Chile". TAO Project. University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory. 17 February 2012.
  4. ^ a b "Signing of the Framework Document for the Japan-Chile Partnership Programme". National Diet Library. Foreign Ministry of Japan. 1 July 1999.
  5. ^ "Información General". cl.emb-japan.go.jp. Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Retrieved 4 September 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai Nihon Gaikoshi Jiten, appendix (1979). p. 364.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i Nihon Gaikoshi Jiten, appendix (1992). pp. 76-77, 122.
  8. ^ "Fujimori: Chile and Japan iron out differences". MercoPress. 11 November 2005.
  9. ^ "Exchange of Diplomatic Notes concerning the Entry into Force of the Agreement between Japan and the Republic of Chile for a Strategic Economic Partnership". mofa.go.jp. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Japan. 7 August 2007. Retrieved 3 September 2025.
  10. ^ "Signing of Tax Convention with Republic of Chile". mofa.go.p. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Japan. 22 January 2016.
  11. ^ Ashikin binti Ali, Nur (3 August 2017). "ATTENDING FAREWELL RECEPTION FOR HE NAOTO NIKAI". kln.gov.my. Embassy of Malaysia, Santiago.
  12. ^ "チリ大使に平石氏". Nikkei. 日本経済新聞社. 21 February 2017.
  13. ^ "Japanese Ambassador to Chile Yoshinobu Hiraishi Visits ALMA". ALMA Project. National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. 21 August 2017.
  14. ^ "チリ大使に渋谷氏". 時事通信. 17 April 2020. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 3 September 2025.
  15. ^ "着任のご挨拶". cl.emb-japan.go.jp. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Japan. 29 December 2021.
  16. ^ Vivallo, Sebastián (28 December 2023). "Ambassador of Japan in Chile Mrs. ITO Takako presents credential". Kyodo News Images. Agencia Makro.
  17. ^ "人事、外務省". Nikkei. 日本経済新聞社. 2 September 2025.

Further reading

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  • Nihon Gaikoshi Jiten, "Dictionary of Japanese Diplomatic History" (Tokyo: Okurasho Inseikyoku, 1979)
  • Nihon Gaikoshi Jiten, "Dictionary of Japanese Diplomatic History" (Tokyo: Yamakawa Shuppansha, 1992)