Kunihiko Saito

Kunihiko Saito was born in Toyama in 1935 and entered the Foreign Ministry after graduating in law from the University of Tokyo in 1958. His career included American affairs, a posting to Japan’s mission to the European Communities, and leadership of the ministry’s Treaties Bureau. He became ambassador to Iran in 1989, deputy foreign minister in 1991, and vice minister in 1993 before his appointment to Washington in 1995. ¹

Saito’s work in Washington included support for language study and cultural exchange. The Japan-America Society of Washington remembered him as an early supporter of the National Japan Bowl, a competition encouraging American high school students to study Japanese. A pianist himself, he sometimes joined professional musicians in performances at the ambassador’s residence. His ambassadorship ended in 1999. ²