Russia’s New Ambassador to Japan, Nikolay Nozdrev, Arrives in Tokyo; Position Vacant For Over 1 Year

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:43 JST, March 7, 2024

Nikolay Nozdrev, Russia’s new ambassador to Japan, arrived in Tokyo earlier this week and assumed his duties, the TASS news agency reported.

Amid a deteriorating relationship with Japan, the post of Russian ambassador to Japan had been vacant for over one year after Mikhail Galuzin left the position. Galuzin, who currently serves as one of Russia’s deputy foreign ministers, left Japan in November 2022.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko told reporters that Nozdrev arrived in Tokyo on Monday and began performing his duties, according to TASS.

Nozdrev served as director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Third Asian Department and reportedly has a good command of Japanese.