EMBASSY
H.E. JULIA LONGBOTTOM CMG First female British Ambassador to Japan BY SIMON FARRELL
J
16 bccj acumen, mar/apr 2021
& Commonwealth Office’s Coronavirus Task Force. Julia previously served as Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy Tokyo until summer 2016, which was her second posting to Japan. Her first was 1990–1993, as Second Secretary in the Political Section. Her other Asia-focused roles have been Head of China / Far Eastern Department (2009–2012) and Head of Section for Nationality and Immigration in
the Hong Kong Department at the time of the handover to China (1994–1997). Her other over seas postings were to Poland as Consul General and Director of Trade & Investment in Warsaw (2002–2006), and to The Hague (1998–2002). She was Strategy Director for UK Trade & Investment in London (2006–2009). She is married to Richard Sciver, and they have three grownup children.
PHOTO: TIA HAYGOOD
ulia Longbottom CMG formally became British Ambassador-designate to Japan on 29 March and will become Ambassador once she presents her credentials to Emperor Naruhito. She joined the Diplomatic Service in 1986. Most recently she was Director of Consular Affairs, running the UK’s global consular network from August 2016 to January 2020, and then spent six months as a Director of the Foreign
