Kenneth Weinstein to be nominated as US ambassador to Japan
President Donald Trump will nominate Kenneth Weinstein, the president and CEO of the Hudson Institute think tank in Washington, to be the US ambassador to Japan, the White House announced Friday night.
Bill Hagerty resigned from the post last July. After he left Tokyo, he announced his candidacy to replace retiring Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee.
Weinstein is chairman of the Board of Governors of the US Agency for Global Media, an independent government agency that operates Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia and Middle East Broadcasting, according to a release from the White House. Weinstein also serves on the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations, which counsels the US trade representative, the White House said.
He has a B.A. from the University of Chicago, an M.Phil. from Sciences Po in Paris and a Ph.D. from Harvard University, and is fluent in French and German, according to the White House.
Japan is fighting the coronavirus outbreak, and Japan’s Olympics minister, Seiko Hashimoto, dismissed suggestions Friday that the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics should be postponed.
Responding to comments Thursday by Trump, who suggested the Games possibly should be postponed, Hashimoto said, “I’m aware of President Trump’s remarks. However, neither the IOC nor the organizing committee has considered any postponement or cancellation of the Games. We continue to proceed preparations to hold a safe and secure games that will open on July 24.”
On Thursday evening Trump posted on his Twitter account that he had spoken with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe: “Just had a great conversation with Prime Minister Abe of Japan. I told him that the just completed Olympic venue is magnificent. He has done an incredible job, one that will make him very proud. Good things will happen for Japan and their great Prime Minister. Lots of options!”
