When U.S. President Barack Obama nominated Mr. John V. Roos as the next American ambassador to Japan, some Japanese were apparently perplexed because the California-based lawyer was almost unknown to them and a Washington "Beltway" outsider.
It had been initially reported that the ambassadorial post would go to Mr. Joseph Nye, a Harvard professor emeritus and former assistant secretary of defense, who also invented the concept "soft power." But Mr. Roos' statements during a Senate confirmation hearing show that he could serve as an important link for deepening bilateral relations between Japan and the United States.
At the Senate hearing, Mr. Roos stressed the importance of Japan-U.S. ties by saying, "Our alliance with Japan is the cornerstone of security and stability in East Asia-Pacific region." He also made it clear that he would strive to strengthen "the special bond between our two countries."