Former Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew has been appointed as Singapore's Ambassador to Japan.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) made the announcement in a press statement on June 1, signalling the return of Lui to public service almost two years after he resigned as Transport Minister and retired completely from politics ahead of the 2015 General Election.

Lui, now 55, left politics after deciding not to stand for re-election. He was Minister for Transport from 2011 to 2015 and concurrently Second Minister for Defence two years ago.

Low profile since stepping down

Lui has been keeping a low profile since retiring from politics.

He was appointed as an independent director by main-board listed construction and property group Chip Eng Seng Corporation last June.

As he had no no prior experience as director of a listed company, the group said that it would arrange for him "to receive relevant training to familiarise himself with the role and responsibilities of being one".

In distinguished company

The current ambassador to Japan is Chin Siat Yoon, a former senior SAF officer and experienced diplomat who had served as Ambassador to the People's Republic of China for 14 years from February 1998 to March 2012.

As Ambassador to Japan, Lui will be in distinguished company. Past ambassadors include former president Wee Kim Wee, as well as first-generation PAP politician and former Singapore Press Holdings chairman Lim Chin Beng and the late former Senior Minister of State Lee Khoon Choy.

Here's a list of Singapore's past ambassadors to Japan:

1. Dr Ang Kok Peng (June 1968 to April 1971)

2. Dr Loy Keng Foo (August 1971 to September 1972)

3. Wee Mon Cheng (June 1973 to August 1980)

4. Wee Kim Wee (September 1980 to April 1984)

5. Lee Khoon Choy (June 1984 to July 1988)

6. Cheng Tong Fatt (July 1988 to June 1991)

7. Lim Chin Beng (July 1991 to November 1997)

8. Chew Tai Soo (February 1998 to July 2004)

9. Tan Chin Tiong (October 2004 to January 2012)

10. Chin Siat Yoon (April 2012 to present)

Top photo: Screenshot from video