New Zealand’s next Ambassador to Japan will be Phillip Gibson, currently Executive Director at Asia 2000, Acting Foreign Minister Simon Upton announced today.

“Japan is one of New Zealand’s most important partners and the relationship is a top priority for our economic and strategic interests. It is the world’s second largest economy and one of our three biggest export markets,” Mr Upton said.

“Our links with Japan are well developed through political exchanges, business, contacts between communities, education, sport and working holiday exchanges.

“However we want to build the relationship even further, and Mr Gibson is well equipped to do that, especially given his background in Asia 2000. He is well known in the business community and has played a leading role in business, cultural and academic initiatives involving Japan and other Asian countries,” Mr Upton said.

Mr Gibson also has extensive diplomatic experience, having been Ambassador to Thailand, from where he was also accredited to Viet Nam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. He has previously held positions in Manila, New York and Rome.

Mr Gibson will take up his position in December, replacing Mr Neil Walter who was recently appointed as Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>