{"record":{"aliases":[],"appointmentIds":["japan-a8ea45f77614c2"],"appointmentsDataset":"https://chanceries.org/diplomats.json","archivalSources":[],"canonicalUrl":"https://chanceries.org/diplopedia/people/shunji-yanai-e714b9d946/","countrySlug":"japan","entityId":"https://chanceries.org/diplopedia/people/shunji-yanai-e714b9d946/#person","eventIds":[],"expandedParagraphs":["Shunji Yanai entered the Foreign Ministry in 1961 after graduating in law from the University of Tokyo. International legal affairs became a major part of his career: he headed the Treaties Bureau and Law of the Sea Headquarters before becoming vice minister in 1997. He was appointed ambassador to the United States in 1999.","After the collision between the American submarine USS Greeneville and the Japanese vessel Ehime Maru in February 2001, Yanai joined Senior Vice Minister Seishiro Eto at a Pentagon meeting with Deputy Secretary Rudy de Leon to discuss the collision.","After leaving government service, Yanai taught public international law at Chuo and Waseda universities. He joined the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in 2005 and served as its president from 2011 to 2014. His judicial tenure continued until 2023."],"id":"japan:shunji yanai","identifiers":{},"legacyPersonIds":[],"legacyUrl":"https://chanceries.org/diplomat-e714b9d9468ff478b8df.html","name":"Shunji Yanai","notes":[],"paragraphSources":[["yanai-mofa-bio"],["yanai-ehime"],["yanai-mofa-bio","yanai-itlos"]],"profileUrl":"diplomat-e714b9d9468ff478b8df.html","relatedEvents":[],"relatedPeople":[],"relationships":[],"researchStatus":"reviewed","reviewedOn":"2026-10-28","revision":"59cc7d887a6c4e05","sources":[{"accessedOn":"2026-10-28","date":"2015-02","id":"yanai-mofa-bio","locator":"Printed p. 6, keynote speaker biography","publisher":"Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan","title":"International Symposium on the Law of the Sea: The Rule of Law in the Seas of Asia","type":"official-biography","url":"https://www.mofa.go.jp/files/000074499.pdf"},{"accessedOn":"2026-10-28","date":"2001-02","id":"yanai-ehime","locator":"Photo 9210402; original caption dated February 16","publisher":"U.S. Department of Defense, DVIDS archive","title":"Japanese Senior Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Seishiro Eto meets in the Pentagon with Deputy Secretary de Leon","type":"primary-record","url":"https://www.dvidshub.net/image/9210402/japanese-senior-vice-minister-foreign-affairs-seishiro-eto-meets-pentagon-with-deputy-secretary-de-leon"},{"accessedOn":"2026-10-28","date":null,"id":"yanai-itlos","locator":"Yanai row","publisher":"International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea","title":"Members of the Tribunal since 1996","type":"primary-record","url":"https://www.itlos.org/en/main/the-tribunal/members-of-the-tribunal-since-1996/"},{"accessedOn":"","date":"2012-11-19","id":"mission-5a397b8676ad6894559b","locator":"Modern chief names and protocol dates through Kenichiro Sasae; Historical diplomatic representation from 1891; Embassy raised in 1906, wartime interruption, reopening in 1952","publisher":"","title":"Diplomatic Representation for Japan","type":"Mission record","url":"https://2009-2017.state.gov/s/cpr/rls/94066.htm"},{"accessedOn":"","date":"2001-06-30","id":"mission-8f3f299de4013d16916b","locator":"Economic Partnership for Growth launched at the Camp David summit","publisher":"","title":"Joint Statement by President Bush and Prime Minister Koizumi","type":"Mission record","url":"https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2001/06/20010630.html"}],"topics":["international law","maritime disputes","U.S.–Japan alliance"]},"schemaVersion":1}