Justin Hayhurst
Ambassador to Japan
Mr Hayhurst is Australia’s Ambassador to Japan and took up the appointment in January 2023.
Mr Hayhurst is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was most recently Deputy Secretary of the Geostrategic Group and Australia’s Senior Quad Official. Previously, Mr Hayhurst was First Assistant Secretary International in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Mr Hayhurst was First Assistant Secretary of the Foreign Policy White Paper Taskforce from 2016 to 2017.
Mr Hayhurst served as Deputy Head of Mission at the Australian Embassy, Beijing, from 2012 to 2016.
From 2007 to 2009 he served as Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Affairs on North Asia, South Asia, Afghanistan, Iraq and counter-terrorism.
Mr Hayhurst worked as a Senior Analyst at the Office of National Assessments from 2004 to 2007. He was also Second Secretary at the Australian Embassy, Manila, from 2001 to 2004.
Mr Hayhurst joined DFAT in 1999. He has a First Class Honours Degree in History from the University of Melbourne and a Graduate Diploma of Foreign Affairs and Trade from Monash University.
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Mr Hayhurst presented his credentials to Japan’s Emperor, His Majesty the Emperor Naruhito on 24 April 2023.
