Appointment of Ms. Fumiko Saiga as Japan's Ambassador in charge of Human Rights

December 6, 2005

On December 6 (Tue), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs appointed Ms. Fumiko Saiga, Japanese Ambassador to Norway and Iceland, as "Ambassador in charge of Human Rights".
The Ministry judged that Ambassador Saiga is the best qualified person for the post of "Ambassador in charge of Human Rights", because she has rich knowledge and experience of human rights and currently works as a member of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
Ambassador Saiga will strive to resolve human rights issues including the North Korea abduction issue and others in the international community, through attending conferences organized by the United Nations and other organizations, and government-level dialogues on human rights-related issues.

* Ambassador Saiga's curriculum vitae attached.

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CURRICULUM VITAE

Fumiko SAIGA

30 November 1943

Department of English Studies,
Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (Graduated: March 1966)

January 1980	International Convention Division, Treaties Bureau
June 1983	First Secretary, Permanent Mission of Japan to the UN
February 1988	Assistant Director, UN Policy Division, UN Affairs Bureau
March 1988	Deputy Director, Social Cooperation Division, UN Affairs Bureau
July 1989	Director, Ocean Division, Economic Affairs Bureau
August 1992	Counsellor, Embassy of Japan in Denmark
March 1996	Minister, Permanent Mission of Japan to the UN
May 1998	Vice Governor of Saitama Prefecture, Japan
September 2000	Consul-General of Japan in Seattle
July 2002	Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Japan to the UN
September 2003 - Present	Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of Norway
October 2003 - Present	Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Iceland

January 1980 - June1983	In charge of preparation of the ratification of the CEDAW by the Government of Japan in International Convention Division, Treaties Bureau
1985	Attended UN Conference on Women in Nairobi, Kenya and in its Preparatory Meetings at CSW (1984 and 1985)
1988-1989	As Deputy Director, had responsibility, among others, women's affairs including CSW, UNIFEM and implementation of CEDAW in Japan in cooperation with other Ministries
1996-1998	In charge of the Third Committee, including CSW and the drafting of the Optional Protocol to CEDAW
1998-2000	Advisor to the Governor of Saitama Prefecture on gender issues
1998-2000	Advisor, Drafting Committee of the Regulation on gender Equality in Saitama Prefecture
February 1999 & February 2000	As Vice Governor of Saitama Prefecture, Japan, hosted "Saitama International Women's Forum, Ms. Angela King, Special Representative of the SG participated as a key-note speaker in February 2000
	Prepared for adoption in March of the Regulation on Gender Equality in Saitama Prefecture, the first local government to enact such regulation in Japan
	Prepared for establishment of Commission on Gender Equality in Saitama Prefecture
June 2000	Participated in NGO activities during 2000 UN Special GA on Gender together with a group of Saitama women
June 2000	Conducted lectures at Universities and Communities on the United Nations and the Gender Equality Issue
November 2001 - Present	Member, Committee on the Elimination of the Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)

UN General Assembly (1983-87, 1990-91, 1996-97)
ECOSOC
Human Rights Commission
UNEP (1983)
ILO (1988)
ITU (1988)
WHO (1988)
UNFPA (1988)
Conference for the adoption of UN Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, Wien (1998)
IMO (1991)
Preparatory Committee of the UN Law of the Sea (1989-92 in NY and Jamaica)
UNCED (1992 in Rio de Janeiro)
UN Conference on the Social Development (1995 in Copenhagen)