Transcript of interview: Sir Hugh Cortazzi, 2014

File

Reference Code: GBR/0014/DOHP 142

Scope and Contents

From the Fonds:

The programme comprises transcripts of interviews with senior diplomats.

Dates

Creation: 2014

Creator

Cortazzi, Henry Arthur Hugh, Sir, 1924 - 2018 (knight, diplomat) (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

From the Fonds:

The collection is open for consultation by researchers using Churchill Archives Centre, Churchill College, Cambridge.

Material in this collection is open to researchers unless otherwise marked in the catalogue.

Biographical / Historical

Hugh Cortazzi was born on 2 May 1924. He was educated at Sedbergh School, and St Andrews and London Universities. In 1956 he married Elizabeth Esther Montagu, having one son and two daughters. Sir Hugh died on 14 August 2018.

After serving in the RAF, 1943-47, Cortazzi joined the Foreign Office in 1949, and his diplomatic career consisted of the following posts: Third Secretary, Singapore, 1950-51; Third/Second Secretary, Tokyo, 1951-54; Foreign Office, 1954-58 (Far Eastern Department, 1954, Information Research Department, 1955-58); First Secretary, Bonn [Germany], 1958-60; First Secretary, later Head of Chancery, Tokyo, 1961-65; Foreign Office, 1965-66; Counsellor (Commercial), Tokyo, 1966-70; Royal College of Defence Studies, 1971-72; Minister (Commercial), Washington [United States], 1972-75; Deputy Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 1975-80; Ambassador to Japan, 1980-84.