CHANCERIESTHE DIPLOMATIC ATLAS

Former Japanese Ambassador’s Residence

View the architectural study
Interpretive architectural study of the surviving building, not a reconstruction of its prewar interior.

2516 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC

Japan established its Massachusetts Avenue residence in October 1931. The house served the ambassador until the United States seized it following the outbreak of war in December 1941. It subsequently housed the Far Eastern Commission. [1]

The United States returned the property to Japan at the end of April 1952 after an exchange of notes. The embassy dates the end of its use as the ambassador’s residence to 1978. Quinn Evans later restored the house as Chancery Annex B, adapting its interiors for lectures, dinners, and other embassy events. [1] [2]

Diplomatic Use

  • Ambassadorial residence: Japan
    1931-10 to 1941-12 [1]
  • Ambassadorial residence: Japan
    End recorded 1978 [1]
  • Chancery annex and embassy event rooms: Japan [2]

Changes to the Property

  • Property seized: United States: 1941-12 [1]
  • Property returned to Japan: 1952-04 [1]
  • Ambassadorial residence use ended: 1978 [1]

Sources

  1. Embassy information: History of the Japanese Embassy in the United States

    Embassy history section, lines 125–128

  2. Embassy of Japan Chancery Annex B

    Project description, paragraphs 1–2: former 1931 residence, restoration, lectures, seated dinners, and event spaces

Notes

  • The property was returned in April 1952; the exact resumption of ambassadorial residence is not established.

Related Reading

Cite This Article

Former Japanese Ambassador’s Residence. Chanceries Diplopedia. Record version a10c2f7659279b19da69.

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