The Japanese government appointed Yutaka Kikuta as ambassador to Nigeria on Tuesday, effective immediately.

Kikuta, 56, currently serves as counselor at the Japanese Embassy in India.

Masamichi Saigo, 61, formerly of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, was named ambassador to Nepal, while Jun Yamada, 59, previously consul general in San Francisco, was tapped as ambassador to Armenia.

The appointments were also effective the same day.