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Appointments - September 2008 Brazil Pablo D. Cardoso assumed the position of first secretary in August. Fabio Franco assumed the position of first secretary on Aug. 5. Finland Marja Attonen assumed the position of attaché (administrative) on July 28, replacing Benita Undstrom, who departed the post on July 31. Heidi Fransila assumed the position of counselor (defense) on Aug. 4. Helena Partanen departed the post of minister-counselor on July 31. Ireland Laurence Simms assumed the position of first secretary (economic) on Aug. 15, replacing Tim Doyle, who departed the post on Aug. 15. Japan Ichiro Fujisaki became ambassador of Japan to the United States on June 4. Ambassador Fujisaki previously served as ambassador and permanent representative to the International Organizations in Geneva (2005-08) and as Japan’s deputy minister for foreign affairs, during which time he was also the prime minister’s personal representative (Sherpa) to the G8 Summit and Japan’s chief negotiator for free trade agreements (2002-05). Prior to that, from 1999 to 2002, Ambassador Fujisaki served as the director-general of the North American Affairs Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which he joined in 1969. He is married to Yoriko Fujisaki and has two daughters.