New U.S. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy is known in Japan as a glamorous appointment who carries political clout, but her new role is also likely to highlight the advocacy and nonprofit work for which she is prominent in her home country.
Japanese know her as the daughter of President John F. Kennedy, but they aren't familiar with her career mostly in the private and nonprofit sectors.
The first female U.S. ambassador to Japan is not a veteran diplomat or seasoned politician, but that kind of background isn't essential these days, according to Sheila Smith, a U.S. expert on the bilateral relationship.