The minister for foreign affairs (外務大臣) is a member of the cabinet of Japan and is the leader and chief executive of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The minister is responsible for implementing Japan's foreign policy and is also a statutory member of the National Security Council. The minister is nominated by the prime minister and is appointed by the emperor of Japan. Since the end of the allied occupation of Japan, the position has been one of the most powerful in the cabinet, as Japan's economic interests have long relied on foreign relations. The recent efforts of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Shinzo Abe to establish a more interventionist foreign policy have also heightened the importance of the position. The current minister for foreign affairs is Takeshi Iwaya, who took office on October 1, 2024.

List of ministers for foreign affairs

Empire of Japan (1885–1945)

Postwar Japan (1945–present)