Arrival of His Excellency Ambassador Mr. and Mrs. Akihiko Furuya in South Africa on 19 May 2006.

His Excellency Ambassador Mr. and Mrs Akihiko Furuya arrived on the morning of Friday, 19 May 2006 at Johannesburg International Airport.

After being welcomed by the head of Airport State Protocol, he was then taken to the official residence in Pretoria as to where he will be residing for the duration of his term in South Africa.

Curriculum Vitae: Furuya, Akihiko

• 1946 Born on the 5th of October
• 1969 Passed Higher Diplomatic Service Examination
• 1970 Graduated Tokyo University, Faculty of Law
  Entered Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• 1985 Director, First Africa Division, Middle Eastern and African Affairs Bureau, the same Ministry
• 1987 Counsellor, Embassy of Japan in the Philippines
• 1990 Counsellor, Embassy of Japan in France
• 1993 Counsellor, Embassy of Japan in Vietnam
• 1994 Minister, Embassy of Japan in Vietnam
• 1995 Deputy Director-General, Global Issues Department, Foreign Policy Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• 1997 Minister, Permanent Delegation of Japan to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
• 2000 Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Senegal, concurrently accredited to Cape Verde, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mali and Mauritania
• 2002 Senior Executive Director, Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC)
• At present : Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary (Designate) of Japan to the Republic of South Africa, the Republic of Botswana, the Kingdom of Lesotho, the Republic of Namibia and the Kingdom of Swaziland.