The America Times was re-born on September 11, 2021, with the goal to better inform our leaders and policymakers of nuances, beyond conventional wisdom, to successfully address present day “Gordion Knots,” sometimes as Alexander the Great did by cutting it and other times by tediously unraveling it.
We are honored and privileged to have H. E. Motohide Yoshikawa – a geopolitical and diplomatic star of Japan, including, at the United Nations Security Council – as the first male member of the Honorary Board of Advisors & Columnists of The America Times in recognition of his excellence and merit-based gender parity. Ambassador Motohide Yoshikawa’s life experiences and diplomatic service, helps him to better decipher the unshared motives of geopolitical leaders and unspoken goals of geopolitical events, which he will share from time to time on our pages. This will serve to form a more perfect nation, and world, and thereby enhance both regional and global peace and security.
Benjamin Franklin famously said in 1787: “It’s a republic madam, if you can keep it.” Professor Motohide Yoshikawa’s contributions will help us keep our Republic. Please enjoy his accomplishments, along with a few pictures – Signing the Paris Agreement at the United Nations, two pictures of press interactions as member of UNSC, and upon being decorated by Spain.
Thanksgiving 2021
Ranju Batra & Ravi Batra,
Publishers
Personal History of Ambassador Motohide Yoshikawa (As of November, 2021)
Distinguished Professor at the International Christian University, Tokyo, Japan Former Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations
Studies and early Diplomatic Career
Mr. Yoshikawa was born in Nara, Japan, on 13 March 1951.
By the American Field Service Scholarship program, he graduated from LeRoy High School in LeRoy, Illinois, USA, in 1969.
In 1974, he graduated from the ICU, International Christian University, in Tokyo. In the same year, he joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.
During his early career, he served in both Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tokyo as well as Japanese Embassies and Missions abroard.
At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he was Director of the Second International Organizations Division of the Economic Affairs Bureau and Director of the United Nations Policy Division of the Foreign Policy Bureau.
At Embassies and Missions, he served in Spain, Argentina, United Kingdom, OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) in Paris, Thailand, and the United Nations in NY.
Senior positions in Tokyo
In 2002, he was named Deputy Director-General of the Economic Cooperation Bureau of the Ministry.
From 2004 to 2006, he was Director-General of the Middle Eastern and African Affairs Bureau of the Ministry.
10 years as Ambassador
of Japan
In 2006, he was appointed as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Spain, where he served until 2009. As Ambassador, he prepared an official trip of the Crown Prince of Japan to Spain and a State Visit of the King and the Queen of Spain to Japan, both took place in 2008.
From 2009 to 2010, Ambassador Yoshikawa served as Japan’s first Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan.
From 2010 to 13, he served as Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the OECD in Paris. At the OECD, he served as Chair of the Executive Committee.
In June, 2013, he was appointed as Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations, the post he held for 3 years.
He ran the election campaign for Japan’s candidature for a non-permanent seat at the Security Council. In 2015, Japan won the election with 184 votes, the highest ever for Japan, at the General Assembly and Ambassador Yoshikawa served as a member of the Security Council from January 2016 till his last day in NY. As a member of the Security Council, he was instrumental in passing the Security Council Resolution 2270 against the nuclear test conducted by the North Korea. In 2016, he signed, on behalf of Japan, the Paris Agreement to cope with the climate change. He left NY in June 2016.
Current position
After retiring from the 42-year diplomatic service, Ambassador Yoshikawa was named Distinguished Professor at his Alma Mater, International Christian University, ICU, in April 2017. He teaches international relations and diplomacy.
He is also a Visiting Professor both at Kanda University of International Studies and Osaka Seikei University.
Other information
He speaks Japanese, English, Spanish and French. He is married and has two adult sons.
He has received decorations from Argentina, Morocco, Spain and Mongolia.