With a controversial base relocation in Okinawa and other high-stakes issues testing the resilience of ties with the United States, people in Japan are looking to new U.S. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy for not just her celebrity status, but also her potential to become a new bridge between the two allies.
Still, her untested credentials as the top U.S. diplomat in Tokyo have left some Japanese wondering how well the attorney-turned-ambassador will adjust to her new role, given her scant experience in public administration or diplomacy. "He had hoped to be the first United States president to visit Japan," Kennedy told reporters upon her arrival at Narita airport Friday, referring to her father, the late President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated 50 years ago on Nov. 22 in Dallas.
"So it is a special honor for me to be able to work to strengthen the close ties between our two great countries," the 55-year-old envoy said, noting that she feels proud to "carry forward my father's legacy of public service."