Japan's new top envoy to assume office Jan. 20

Imai will arrive in Taiwan on Jan. 20 to take up the job as chief of the Interchange Association (Japan) Taipei Office, the institution established to handle exchanges with Taiwan in the absence of official ties, according to the office.

The 65-year-old Imai joined Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1969 and served as head of the Northeast Asia Division, chief of the Intelligence and Analysis Service, and ambassador to Israel and Malaysia before retiring from his position as ambassador in charge of Okinawan affairs, last June.

Saito resigned from the post in December, citing personal reasons.

But the surprise move was widely seen as the result of diplomatic complications caused by controversial remarks he made in Taiwan in May when he said in a speech that “Taiwan's status was still unclear.”

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