Kensuke Horinouchi

Kensuke Horinouchi (堀内 謙介; March 30, 1886 – November 1, 1979) was a Japanese politician who served as ambassador to the United States and ambassador to Taiwan.

Diplomatic career

Horinouchi was a member of the Japanese delegation at the 1919 Paris Peace Conference, and later noted that "Japan was totally absorbed in its own issues" at said conference.^[1]

During the 1930s, he served as vice minister of foreign affairs and as a councillor at the Embassy of Japan in Washington, D.C.^[2][3] He served as consul general in New York during the early 1930s.^[4]: 84

In October 1938, Horinouchi was announced as the successor to Hiroshi Saitō as ambassador to the United States.^[2] He took office in April 1939.^[5] He was recalled from the post in 1940,^[6] and was criticised for apparently failing to promote Japanese interests in relation to the trading of aviation gasoline.^[7] Despite this, he continued to be engaged in diplomatic relations between the two countries.^[8]

In 1955, Horinouchi was appointed Japanese ambassador to Taiwan, succeeding Kenkichi Yoshizawa on his retirement.^[9] He resigned from the position in 1959.^[10]

Other work

In 1946, Horinouchi was elected the first chairman of Licensed Agencies for Relief in Asia (LARA), which gave the organisation contacts and relevance in Japan.^[4]: 60

Personal life

Horinouchi was a Christian.^[4]: 60