Embassy of Sweden, Tokyo
LocationTokyo
Address1-10-3-100, Roppongi, Minato-ku
Tokyo 106-0032
Japan
Coordinates35°39′53″N 139°44′31″E / 35.66462°N 139.74184°E / 35.66462; 139.74184
Opened1906
AmbassadorPereric Högberg
(since 2019)
Jurisdiction Japan
 Marshall Islands
 Federated States of Micronesia
 Palau
WebsiteOfficial website

The Embassy of Sweden in Tokyo is Sweden's diplomatic mission in Japan. The mission was opened in 1906. It's located in the Roppongi district in Minato, Tokyo since 1959. The current embassy building was inaugurated in 1991. The ambassador since 2019 is Pereric Högberg. The ambassador has a dual accreditation to Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau.

History

Diplomatic relations between Sweden and Japan were established in 1868.[1] A Swedish legation in Japan was established in 1906 after Sweden had previously been represented by Dutch diplomats. The shipowner Gustaf Oscar Wallenberg became the first Swedish envoy and he focused on developing trade during a time when Sweden was very unknown in Japan.[2] By decision on 28 September 1906, the consulate general in Japan was entrusted to King in Council's minister there. On the same date, a salaried vice-consul was appointed here, who would also serve at the mission. At the 1913 parliament session, King in Council's proposition regarding the withdrawal of the latter function was approved. Gustaf Oscar Wallenberg served as consul general from 28 September 1906.[3]

From at least 1914, the address of the legation was 24 Tsukiji, Tokyo.[4] Between 1920 and 1930 the legation in Tokyo moved almost every year: In 1920, the address was 44 Sakurada-cho Azabu, Tokyo,[5] in 1921 the address was Azabu 25 Mikawadaimachi, Tokyo,[6] in 1922 the address was 22 Kasumicho Azabu, Tokyo,[7] in 1923 the address was 15 Kaminibanchô, Köjimachiku, Tokyo,[8] 1924–1927 the address was 67 Tansumachi, Azabu-ku, Tokyo,[9][10] 1928–1929 the address was 52 Hikawacho Akasaka-ku, Tokyo,[11][12] and in 1930 it moved to 63 Zaimoku-cho, Azabu-ku, Tokyo where it remained until 1937.[13][14] From 1938, the address was 22 Nishi-machi, Azabu-ku, Tokyo.[15]

In May 1944, the Swedish legation in Tokyo was evacuated together with the legations and embassies of other countries. The neutral powers were moved to the resort town of Karuizawa, about 150 km northwest of Tokyo. For the Swedish legation, however, this evacuation did not mean that operations in Tokyo ceased. Only the European officials were moved to Karuizawa, the Japanese staff were allowed to remain and work in Tokpo under the direction of two Swedish officials, who took it in turns to serve in the capital for a week at a time. At the beginning of 1945, 19 Europeans were employed at the Swedish legation, along with a numerous staff of Japanese men and women.[16]

In the 1930s, a group of Swedish businessmen were dissatisfied with the Swedish representation in Japan and collected almost SEK 500,000 so that the Swedish state could buy a plot of land in Roppongi, Tokyo. This was materialised when a new embassy was inaugurated in Roppongi in 1959.[17] Two years prior, in 1957, both Sweden and Japan raised the status of their missions to embassies.[2] Until 1959 the residence was located at 22 Nishi-machi, Azabu, Minato-ku and the chancery was located at »Kikai Boeki Kaikan», rooms 505 & 506, No. 3, 7-chome, Tamachi, Akasaka, Minato-ku. The address from 1 June 1959 was Azabu-Ichibeicho, Minato-ku.[18]

The embassy has been located in the same place in Roppongi since 1959 when the Swedish government received the land as a gift from a group of Swedish representatives.[19] From the 1968, address was 3-go, 10-ban, 1-chome, Roppongi, Minato-ku.[20] In the 1980s, part of the plot was sold and thus a new embassy needed to be built.[17] The new and current embassy was inaugurated in 1991. The embassy is located in the Shiroyama Hills and has a terrace-shaped structure that sweeps up from two floors in an arch to a height of nine floors. The building comprises premises for the chancery, residence, trade office and an office for the Swedish Agency for Growth Policy Analysis, Growth Analysis (Myndigheten för tillväxtpolitiska utvärderingar och analyser, Tillväxtanalys). In addition, there are about 20 apartments, of which about half are used as housing for embassy' staff. From the autumn of 2013, external tenants will also rent offices and some apartments.[21]

Buildings

Chancery

Chancery building
Facade

In the 1950s, Professor Nils Ahrbom was commissioned to design the first permanent embassy and he traveled to Tokyo in 1955 to inspect the site. He had with him a sketch that was approved by the National Swedish Board of Public Building (Byggnadsstyrelsen) and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. In the garden there were some old and now culturally listed ginkgo trees that were allowed to control the location of the buildings.[17] The first embassy was inaugurated in 1959. In step with the expansive economic development in Japan, land prices rose considerably in this central area, which was rather sparsely populated. In the mid-1980s, the embassy was contacted by the neighbor Mori Building Development Co., Ltd. which is one of Japan's largest real estate companies. They wanted to discuss a renewal of the area, make a more economical development with the integration of housing and offices according to Tokyo's city plan program. In order to implement this and still maintain the park character, certain interventions were required. The Swedish embassy was partly in the way of the intended new plan. Mori Building offered the Swedish state SEK 1.2 billion to take over a larger part of the garden, including the historic trees, to make this part of a park and a walkway adjacent to their planned office building and residential buildings.[17] The agreement meant that the embassy had to be demolished and a new one built next to it. Professor Michael Granit, who had participated in the discussions on the city plan issue, was hired as the architect for the new embassy building. The architect Yoshito Katoh from Irie Miyake Architects was hired as a Japanese partner. All drawings were translated into Japanese, the dialogue worked well, but the most important partner for Granit for the design of the building, garden and terraces was the sculptor Sivert Lindblom. The 11,000 square meter facility was inaugurated in 1991.[17]

Between the street and the entrances to the chancery, residence and accommodations, the courtyard is paved with small paving stones in a pattern that associates with hand fans. The vision was to create a contrast between the façade's red Vånga granite and the classic dark gray paving stone as a Swedish greeting, but the Japanese construction company did not have this reference and ordered domestic light gray stones. The chancery with the trade department and office for technical attachés is housed on the entrance level and on the 2nd floor. The environment is characterized by the Swedish standard that was developed in connection with the rebuilding of the Parliament House in Stockholm. In the conference room there is a decoration by Margareta Hallek in the form of a red textile. In contrast to it and the red stone of the façade, Kicken Ericson has created a carpet with a green and earth-colored pattern. A carpet which is used in all rooms with different results.[17] The 25 staff accommodation units are located in the curved rising building on floors four to seven. Characteristic of all accommodations is the system of visible or invisible supporting pillars. Their task is to strengthen the structure to avoid the risk of collapse in the event of an earthquake. There is also a recreation facility with a pool. There is an upper and a lower basement which both contain different parts of the recreation facility. The pool is located in the basement and is surrounded by a teak deck. It has direct access to its own small garden. There is also a Japanese bath and a sauna. The garden feeling is enhanced by Åke Pallarp's marbled green murals and the trellis decoration on the tiled pillars. In the lower basement, in addition to the garage, there is also a squash court.[17]

Residence

The residence is surrounded by a terrace garden which includes a small bridge over to a Japanese garden. The ambassadorial residence is located as a two-storey villa on top of the chancery's two floors. The boundary between the private quarters and the representative part is a counterclockwise curved staircase. Externally, the stairs is visible in the villa's oval roof section. Characteristic of all accommodations, including the residence, is the system of visible or invisible supporting pillars. Their task is to strengthen the structure to avoid the risk of collapse in the event of an earthquake.[17] In the representative part of the residence, these pillars are built into the walls – in the walls of the square living room and in the four corners of the dining room. The residence is reached via a separate entrance where Axel Munthe's large textile Dalagång gives the visitor an introduction to an environment that summarizes seven decades of Swedish interior design art – from 1920s neoclassicism to the late 1980s postmodernism. The walls of the hallway are clad with curly birch panels and in its extension has a view through the atrium and the small dining room to the terrace. The salon has the same dimensions as the large salon at Ulriksdal Palace north of Stockholm. The interior designer Mats Jacobson has been responsible for the interior.[17]

The almost square room has been furnished with three 'islands', four groups of seating arrangements gathered around low tables and between them a spacious space that through the large glass doors also incorporates the conservatory – the terrace. Kicken Ericson has specially composed a carpet for the room with a tight Trompe-l'œil pattern. The furniture otherwise follows a well-known pattern with soft sofas from Svenskt Tenn and tighter sofas by Lars and Pi Norinder as well as a modernized version of the so-called Gripsholmsstolen ("Gripsholm chair").[17] The art has a similar range from Einar Jolin's Stockholmsmotiv, Felix Hatz's Vissnande solrosor, Hans Viksten's Ljussegel to Barbro Lind's Segelbåt i vik. There is also a selection of contemporary glass art by well-known designers from Orrefors, Kosta Boda and Skruf. There is also a library with a cocklestove from Marieberg. Directly adjacent to the library is a white plastered hall with the curved stairs up to the private quarters. The large dining room is furnished with classic furniture designed by Lennart Jansson. A work of art by Peter Dahl with motifs by Carl Michael Bellman's "Movitz blåste en konsert" dominates the stage as well as selected parts from the lithograph series Bellman. Kicken Ericson has designed the carpets. The small dining room's two glass walls, one facing the terrace and the other facing the atrium, and Åke Pallarp's ceramic walls give a feeling of a glass veranda.[17]

Bergman Exhibition Hall

The Bergman Exhibition Hall is located on the first floor, directly adjacent to the main entrance. The room is 138 m2 and has access to both kitchen and toilets. The Bergman Exhibition Hall has a maximum capacity of 200 people.[22] Exhibitions are occasionally arranged in the exhibition hall in order to promote Swedish exports.[21]

Alfred Nobel Auditorium

Alfred Nobel Auditorium

Next to the Bergman Exhibition Hall is the Alfred Nobel Auditorium. The room is designed as an amphitheater with 96 seats. The auditorium is equipped with a sound and projection system, a simultaneous interpretation booth and has access to toilets.[22]

Heads of Mission

NamePeriodTitleAccreditationRef
Frederik Philip van der Hoeven1871–1872Resident minister
Wilhelm Ferdinand Henrik van Wekherlin1872–1878Resident minister
Edmond W.F. Wittewaall van Stoetwegen1879–1881Resident minister
Johannes Jakobus van der Plot1881–1889Resident minister
Dmitri Louis van Bylandt1890–1896Resident minister
Hannibal Casimir Johannes Testa1896–1900Resident minister
Hannibal Casimir Johannes Testa1900–1902Envoy
Arthur M.D. Swerts de Landas Wyborgh1902–1905Envoy
John Loudon1905–1906Acting Envoy
Gustaf Oscar Wallenberg1906–1920EnvoyAlso acreddited to Beijing.[5]
David Bergström1919–1920Acting EnvoyAlso acreddited to Beijing.[5]
David Bergström1920–1922EnvoyAlso acreddited to Beijing.[7]
Oskar Ewerlöf1922–1928EnvoyAlso acreddited to Beijing.[23]
Johan Hultman1928–1936EnvoyAlso acreddited to Beijing (from 1929) and Bangkok (from 1931).[24]
Widar Bagge1937–1945EnvoyAlso acreddited to Bangkok.[25]
–1946–1947–Vacant.[26][27]
Leif Öhrvall1948–1951Diplomatic representative
Karl-Gustav Lagerfelt1951–1952Diplomatic representative
Karl-Gustav Lagerfelt1952–1956Envoy
Tage Grönwall9 July 1956 – 1957Envoy[28]
Tage Grönwall1957–1962AmbassadorAlso acreddited to Seoul (from 1959).[29]
Karl Fredrik Almqvist1963–1970AmbassadorAlso acreddited to Seoul.[30]
Gunnar Heckscher1970–1975AmbassadorAlso acreddited to Seoul.[31]
Bengt Odevall1975–1981AmbassadorAlso acreddited to Seoul (until 1979).[32]
Gunnar Lonaeus1981–1986Ambassador
Ove Heyman1986–1992Ambassador
Magnus Vahlquist1992–1997AmbassadorAlso acreddited to Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia.[33]
Krister Kumlin1997–2002AmbassadorAlso acreddited to Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia.[34]
Mikael Lindström2002–2006AmbassadorAlso acreddited to Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia.[35]
Stefan Noreén2006–2011AmbassadorAlso acreddited to Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau.[36]
Lars Vargö2011–2014Ambassador
Magnus Robach2014–2019Ambassador
Pereric Högberg2019–presentAmbassador

See also

References

Notes

  1. ↑ "Om oss" [About us] (in Swedish). Embassy of Sweden, Tokyo. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
  2. 1 2 Jonsson 2018, pp. 112–113
  3. ↑ Almquist 1914, p. 400
  4. ↑ Sveriges statskalender för år 1914 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. 1914. p. 167.
  5. 1 2 3 Sveriges statskalender för skottåret 1920 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Almqvist & Wiksell. 1920. p. 173.
  6. ↑ Sveriges statskalender för året 1921 (in Swedish). Uppsala: Almqvist & Wiksell. 1921. p. 173.
  7. 1 2 Sveriges statskalender för året 1922 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Almqvist & Wiksell. 1922. p. 178.
  8. ↑ Sveriges statskalender för året 1922 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Almqvist & Wiksell. 1922. p. 186.
  9. ↑ Sveriges statskalender för skottåret 1924 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Almqvist & Wiksell. 1924. p. 185.
  10. ↑ Sveriges statskalender för året 1927 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Almqvist & Wiksell. 1927. p. 188.
  11. ↑ Sveriges statskalender för året 1928 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Almqvist & Wiksell. 1928. p. 186.
  12. ↑ Sveriges statskalender för året 1929 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Almqvist & Wiksell. 1929. p. 189.
  13. ↑ Sveriges statskalender för året 1930 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Almqvist & Wiksell. 1930. p. 189.
  14. ↑ Sveriges statskalender för året 1937 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. 1937. p. 208.
  15. ↑ Sveriges statskalender för året 1938 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. 1938. p. 215.
  16. ↑ "Svenska Tokiolegationen har flyttat upp i bergen" [The Swedish Tokyo delegation has moved up into the mountains]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). 1945-02-24. p. 20. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Hedqvist 2007, pp. 24–29
  18. ↑ Sveriges statskalender för året 1959 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. 1959. p. 301.
  19. ↑ "Ambassadbyggnaden" [Embassy building] (in Swedish). Embassy of Sweden, Tokyo. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  20. ↑ Sveriges statskalender för skottåret 1968 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. 1968. p. 318.
  21. 1 2 "Tokyo, Japan. Ambassadanläggning" [Tokyo, Japan. Embassy building] (in Swedish). National Property Board of Sweden. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  22. 1 2 "Uthyrning av lokaler" (in Swedish). Embassy of Sweden, Tokyo. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  23. ↑ Sveriges statskalender för året 1928 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Almqvist & Wiksell. 1928. p. 186.
  24. ↑ Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 1945 [Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 1945] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Norstedt. 1945. p. 506. SELIBR 8261511.
  25. ↑ Svensson 1953, p. 61
  26. ↑ Sveriges statskalender för året 1946 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. 1946. p. 272.
  27. ↑ Sveriges statskalender för året 1947 (PDF) (in Swedish). Uppsala: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. 1947. p. 278.
  28. ↑ "Sveriges beskickning i Tokio". Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). 1957-11-20. p. 4A. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  29. ↑ Vem är det: svensk biografisk handbok. 1985 [Who is it: Swedish biographical handbook. 1985] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Norstedt. 1984. p. 397. ISBN 91-1-843222-0. SELIBR 3681527.
  30. ↑ Sköldenberg 1970, p. 353
  31. ↑ Sköldenberg 1975, p. 410
  32. ↑ Salander Mortensen 1996, p. 853
  33. ↑ Almqvist 1997, p. 183
  34. ↑ Spiegelberg 2002, p. 183
  35. ↑ Spiegelberg 2006, p. 181
  36. ↑ Sveriges statskalender 2010 (PDF) (in Swedish). Stockholm: Norstedts Juridik AB/Fritzes. 2010. p. 184. ISBN 978-91-38-32520-9. SELIBR 11846164.

Print

Further reading

  • Neider, Elisabet, ed. (1993). Sveriges ambassad, Tokyo [Embassy of Sweden, Tokyo] (in Swedish). Stockholm: Byggnadsstyrelsen. ISBN 9186670085. SELIBR 7759763.
  • Neider, Elisabet, ed. (1993). The Swedish embassy in Tokyo (in Japanese). Translated by Andersson, René. Stockholm: Byggnadsstyrelsen. SELIBR 2253662.
  • Neider, Elisabet, ed. (1993). The Swedish embassy in Tokyo. Translated by James, Clare. Stockholm: National Board of Public Building (Byggnadsstyrelsen). ISBN 9186670107. SELIBR 7759765.
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