Diana Abgar

Diana Abgar
Diana Abgar
Armenia Ambassador to Japan
In office 1918–1920
Preceded by	position established
Succeeded by	position abolished
Personal details
Born	(1859-10-12)12 October 1859 Rangoon, British Burma
Died	Yokohama, Japan
Occupation	Writer, humanitarian, and ambassador

Diana Abgar (Armenian: Դիանա Աբգար, 12 October 1859 – July 8, 1937) was an Armenian writer, diplomat, and ambassador to Japan of the short-lived First Republic of Armenia in 1918-1920. She is the first Armenian woman diplomat and possibly the first woman to have ever been appointed in any diplomatic post.

Life

Diana Anahit Aghabekyan, whose baptismal name was Gayane, was born in Rangoon, British Burma (today Yangon, Myanmar) on 12 October 1859. Her father was an Indian-Armenian who migrated to South East Asia from New Julfa, Persia. Diana Abgar's mother Avet was from the Tateos Avetum family in the Shiraz district of Iran. Diana was the youngest of seven children in the family. Abgar was raised in Calcutta and received her education in a local convent school. Diana Abgar became fluent in English, Armenian, and Hindustani. She married Apcar Michael Apcar, a descendant of the house of Abgar of New Julfa, the same area where Abgar's family the Aghabekyan's originates from as well. The Abgar family became successful tradesmen and merchants all around South-East Asia. They became especially successful in the import-export business of shellac lacquer pearls. In 1891, Diana and her husband moved to Japan to found and expand the family business. They eventually had 5 children, of which only 3 survived. At the age of sixty-seven, Abgar was experiencing numerous physical problems, such as failing eyesight, hearing loss, and arthritis. These health issues led to her death on the morning of 8 July 1937 in Yokohama. She was buried in cemetery for foreigners beside her husband and is currently being taken care of by the Society of Armenian-Japanese Friendship which is based in Tokyo.

Diplomatic career

When the Republic of Armenia gained independence on 28 May 1918, Armenia was not recognized by any international state. Yet in 1920, through Apgar's efforts, Japan became one of the first nations to recognize the new republic's independence. Out of respect to her efforts, Hamo Ohanjanyan, who was then the Foreign Minister of the Republic, granted Diana Abgar Honorary Counsel to Japan. This made Diana Abgar the first Armenian woman diplomat and quite possibly the first woman to have ever been appointed in any diplomatic post in the century. However, after Armenia's Sovietization in the 1920s, her post was abruptly terminated.

Works

After her son took over the family business in Japan, Abgar had more time to concentrate on her humanitarian, literary, and diplomatic career. She started working with numerous journals and newspapers such as The Japan Advertiser, The Far East, The Japan gazette, and Armenia (later to be known as New Armenia). She focused much of her literature on the oppressed and their circumstances. She wrote about the Armenian plight in the Ottoman Empire in order to raise global awareness. By 1920 she had already written over nine books in dedication to the Armenian Genocide. She also wrote many articles on international relations and the impact of imperialism on world affairs and global peace. These works include:

• The Great Evil. Yokohama, Japan: “Japan Gazette” Press, 1914, 114 pp.
• Peace and No Peace. Yokohama, Japan: “Japan Gazette” Press, 1912, 101 pp.
• The Peace Problem. Yokohama, Japan: “Japan Gazette” Press, 1912, 131 pp.
• On the Cross of Europe’s Imperialism: Armenia Crucified. Yokohama, Japan: 1918, 116 pp.
• In His Name... Yokohama, Japan: “Japan Gazette,” 1911. 52 pp.
• Betrayed Armenia. Yokohama, Japan: “Japan Gazette” Press, 1910, 77 pp.
• The Truth about the Armenian Massacres. Yokohama, Japan: “Japan Gazette,” 1910, 26 pp.
• Home Stories of the War. Kobe, Japan: The Kaneko Printing Works, 1905, 47 pp.
• Susan. Yokohama, Japan: Kelly and Walsh, Limited, 1892, 109 pp.