Lobsang Choedak Succeeds Dr Tsewang Gyalpo Arya as Dalai Lama’s Representative in Japan
By Tenzin Chokyi
DHARAMSALA, 12 Oct: Lobsang Choedak, former Secretary of the Central Tibetan Administration’s Election Commission, has assumed office as the Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama for Japan and East Asia, succeeding Dr Tsewang Gyalpo Arya after a six-year tenure.
Choedak’s appointment was announced by the Kashag on 9 June, and he formally took charge on 28 September following the handover of responsibilities at Tibet House Japan. Karma Rinchen, Secretary of the Department of Information and International Relations, witnessed the transition, according to the Office of Tibet in Japan.
A career civil servant of the Central Tibetan Administration, Choedak previously served in the Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR), the Kashag Secretariat and the Election Commission. He also served as Secretary of the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Japan from 2017 to 2021.
Following his assumption of office, Choedak met members of the Japan Parliamentary Support Group for Tibet on 30 September, including its chairperson, Eriko Yamatani, and secretary, Akimasa Ishikawa, to discuss continued engagement with Japanese parliamentary supporters of Tibet.
On 4 October, he addressed the Tibetan community in Japan, highlighting the CTA’s policies to preserve Tibetan linguistic, cultural and religious identity amid concerns over China’s so-called “Ethnic Unity and Progress Law,” which came into effect on 1 July 2026.
Choedak also met Japanese Buddhist leaders, Tibet support groups and educational institutions during his initial engagements, reaffirming the office’s efforts to strengthen support for Tibet and promote educational and cultural exchanges.
Dr Arya departed Tokyo for India on 11 October, concluding his tenure as the representative.
The transition comes amid the CTA’s efforts to strengthen international support for Tibet and preserve Tibetan identity in the face of China’s assimilation policies.
