15 Facts About Tatsuo Kawai

Tatsuo Kawai was a leading proponent of expansionism in Japan before World War II but later became a pacifist and was Japan's first Minister to Australia.

Tatsuo Kawai passed the diplomatic service examination in 1918 and was appointed vice-consul to Jinan, China in 1919.

Tatsuo Kawai was promoted in 1921 and served as Secretary to the Japanese Embassy in Washington, DC, and then Secretary to the Department of Commerce in 1921.

Tatsuo Kawai became the Japanese Consul to Vancouver in 1925 and Qingdao in 1928.

Tatsuo Kawai became Chief of the Foreign Department of the Kwantung Leased Territory in 1930 and Secretary to the Japanese Advisor to the Lytton Commission of the League of Nations.

Tatsuo Kawai was appointed Consul-General to Canton in 1934 and Shanghai in 1938.

Tatsuo Kawai was an ardent expansionist and in 1938 published The Goal of Japanese Expansion, which was published in Japanese, English and Russian, and the following year translated into Spanish.

Tatsuo Kawai developed a close friendship with future Prime Minister of Australia John Curtin.

In July 1941, Time quoted Tatsuo Kawai as saying he was tired of hearing the word "drive" to describe Japan's intentions and that territorial expansion was an old-fashioned phrase.

Tatsuo Kawai was the guest of honour at a formal dinner held by Curtin in Perth and dined privately with the Curtins many times.

Tatsuo Kawai was a guest at The Lodge after Curtin became Prime Minister, and at the opening of the Australian War Memorial in Canberra on 11 November 1941.

Tatsuo Kawai sent a telegram to Curtin expressing his sympathy at the loss of HMAS Sydney on 1 December 1941, only days before Australia declared war on Japan.

Tatsuo Kawai was kept under house arrest at the Japanese embassy at the outbreak of the Pacific War and deported to Japan in August 1942, taking with him the ashes of four of the Japanese submariners killed in the attack on Sydney Harbour.

Tatsuo Kawai was ostracised in Japan when he called on Japanese not to hate Australians and was sacked from the Foreign Ministry.

Tatsuo Kawai resumed contact with the Curtin family, visiting John Curtin's grave in 1959.