WASHINGTON —

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday approved John Roos, a California-based lawyer and one of President Barack Obama’s major fundraisers during the presidential campaign, as the next U.S. ambassador to Japan. The full Senate is expected to give the nod to Roos, 54, later this week before lawmakers leave for the summer recess. If approved, Roos will serve as point man for U.S. policy on Japan, a key Asian ally.
   
During a Senate confirmation hearing late last month, Roos called the Japan-U.S. alliance ‘‘the cornerstone of security and stability in the East Asia-Pacific region’’ and pledged to work hard to solidify the ‘‘special bond’’ between the two nations if his nomination is confirmed. Roos also said at the time that close bilateral relations will remain unchanged even if the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan wrests power from the long-governing Liberal Democratic Party in the Aug 30 general election as opinion polls indicate.

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4 Comments

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  zurcronium at 08:08 AM JST - 5th August

  Once the DPJ takes over the Japan-US relationship will mature beyond its current post WW2 LDP failed status.

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  Shumatsu_Samurai at 04:49 PM JST - 5th August

  Once the DPJ takes over the Japan-US relationship will mature

  Why? The DPJ's policies are things that will threaten Japan's relationship with America. And until the DPJ is willing to fill the gap left by that, such as by promising to increase the defence budget, that's bad for Japan.

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  apecNetworks at 05:53 PM JST - 5th August

  .....Roos called the Japan-U.S. alliance ‘‘the cornerstone of security and stability in the East Asia-Pacific region’’ and pledged to work hard to solidify the ‘‘special bond’’ between the two nations if his nomination is confirmed. Roos also said at the time that close bilateral relations will remain unchanged even if the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan wrests power from the long-governing Liberal Democratic Party.......

  If the DPJ gains control of the Lower House, the relationship will generally be unchanged, but significant aspects of the relationship will undergo change. The changes would be more reflective of the changes occurring in the region as well as world wide - one example would be a more active participation in the economic growth in the region, and not as specifically aligned w/ US policies. The changes occurring in the region will also change the direction the US will be pursuing - example would be Pres. Obama stating the rising importance of US-PRC relations.

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  realist at 06:49 PM JST - 6th August

  Another example of Obama`s "new, transparent" politics. He rewards those who helped him financially, just like all the rest. Change? What change? There is no change in America under Obama. Its just the "same old, same old" but worse than ever before.

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