Biden picks Emanuel for Japan ambassador; Burns for China

Danielsan, Biden will be Prez, until 2025,why Trump will spend the next 4 years, fighting criminal charges, you outta be ashame for support of criminal like Trump,you Republican are not running anything ,but your mouths,if you as American cannot do anything else ,but that just shut your mouth and be quiet

This guy could not even run a city....be careful Japan

Strictly speaking he is not supposed to run Japan.

Just look at that innocent face

Bungle

Okinawans to drive the U.S. out this time around?

Not anytime soon while Japan's neighbors continue to act like Evil Empires.

Rahm Emanuel is a Hillary loyalist whom Biden was looking to get rid of from the US political scene. Ambassadorship to some paradise island in the Pacific usually takes care of that, but Rahm wanted to appear to have a real serious job, so he was given the Japan post, which is sort of a do-nothing job.

Ambassadorship to the UK is the same, and it is the most luxurious post.

Bother, yes abministration could mean abominable administration :) but it’s a typo, b should be d!

An outstanding decision by President Biden. Amb. Emanuel will go there and push Japanese leaders institute among other things open borders and open immigration; things that that country is lagging far behind compared to other nations around the world.

Two of the USA’s most important allies east and west, Japan and the UK and the current abministration has taken eight months to nominate one and still can’t make up its mind on the other. To be honest the USA is probably better served by the Charge d’Affairs ad interim in post in both countries as the political hacks and dodgy business partners we usually get dumped on us are more embarrassment than benefit.

I agree with Zichi, why not use professional diplomats, the USA has some. This farrago is just an embarrassment and engenders an attitude of contempt towards the USA, which it doesn’t need to heap upon its self.

Ossan, yes the USA appoints whom it wishes to be ambassador to a country but it is up to the receiving country to accept their credentials or not.

Fortunately, this will be the shortest diplomatic posting in history.

Remember Trump was apparently considering Bobby Valentine. That would have been hilarious.

This selection does not bode well for Japan. Biden is sending a message of contempt to Japan, and a signal of submission to China.

As a US citizen, I apologize for the idiocy of our President.

Rahm won't like it here.

Another Brilliant but misunderstood decision from Joe. Ye of little faith!

Then, @ShinCaboo 1:22pm, you’re also aware of the* “*Rahm Emanuel - Pocky” connections?

In 2019, then Chicago mayor Emanuel was instrumental in negotiations & PR to have Beam Suntory move U.S. Hq’s to Chicago, along with Mondelez International, Japan’s maker & exclusive distributor of Glico’s “Pocky” products?

Allegedly, buildings were constructed and jobs were created but now, investigations, fines & other punitive actions are rumoured being pursued for failure to pay sick leave, etc amongst other mutterings of some …

“unfortunate misunderstandings we will strive to ensure there will not be a reoccurrence.”

@Simian Lane

Like anyone knows who Emanuel is

Rahm Emanuel is a Hillary loyalist whom Biden was looking to get rid of from the US political scene. Ambassadorship to some paradise island in the Pacific usually takes care of that, but Rahm wanted to appear to have a real serious job, so he was given the Japan post, which is sort of a do-nothing job.

@zichi

I don't understand why America appoints former politicians, business people 

There are two kinds of ambassadorship in the US

1) Real Ambassadors : Countries considered critical to US national security and interests get career diplomats, security experts, and former generals; such countries are China, Russia, Korea, Afghanistan, etc.

2) Comp Ambassadors : Loyalists to presidents, big time political campaign donors, and celebrity get such compensatory jobs. Japan is one such country.

Peter NeilToday  07:34 am JST

The Japanese would prefer someone like Schwarzenneger, or Robert De Niro, or one of the Disney characters. How about Christopher Walken?

Who the Japanese (or anyone else) would prefer is utterly irrelevant since it's the U.S. that chooses it's ambassadors. Furthermore in the case of Japan where the main job description is greeting the Potus or Secretaries when they arrive in Japan, it could be anybody.

Like anyone knows who Emanuel is

Obama's corrupt Chicago buddy

The Japanese would prefer someone like Schwarzenneger, or Robert De Niro, or one of the Disney characters. How about Christopher Walken?

I thought Ivanka Trump was what they wanted?

Anyway, as for Emanuel, even Bernie Sanders didn't want anything to do with him.

What are we supposed to do? Boycott China?

Yes.

He made Chicago great. He is a great pick. He also looks cheerful and well-rested.

Very "Reckless" statement.

Guy looks shifty as hell.

Nice observation because he is.

The Japanese would prefer someone like Schwarzenneger, or Robert De Niro, or one of the Disney characters. How about Christopher Walken?

No,no, no. Mickey Mouse would be best!

Yet another bad decision by the present administration. When will it end?

Guy looks shifty as hell.

I don't understand why America appoints former politicians, business people and others rather than fully trained diplomats like the UK does.

Because ambassadorships are a valuable tool of soft corruption. The US has an equivalent corp of professionally trained diplomats on the payroll but they will never rise to the level of ambassador. At least not until they become campaign bundlers or party strategists.

Wow. I was going to make my comment about emanuel who is an obama lackey but I see most everyone on both sides of the political aisle accurately described this fake political hack.

Also, just goes to show you how deeply embedded obama is in this so-called administration with so many former obama people working within this current so-called administration.

How does Japan view this appointment? Good or bad?

Like anyone knows who Emanuel is

You don't want to know who this bumbling, foolish fake politician is. He can't participate in the U.S.A. now so send him to Japan where he can continue to neuter our standing in the world from an Asian perspective.

Say it ain't so, Joe... Well, THEY got you elected so THEY get their choice, don't They, but don't expect good results when next you face us in an election. Twenty-five candidates and you were the bottom of the heap and now you PROVE it to us all. This scumbag sent to what America claims is one of our 'closest allies'? Better he was our representative to the Taliban...toilet mouthed, uncouth psychopathic nitwit whose godfather is nutandyahoo, grrrr

Seeing in how he handled Chicago, I deeply worry now.

A revelatory week as Biden shows his fallibility, with his botched pullout gifting the Taliban, and now nailing the true colors of his establishment bone fides to the mast by sending his "Japan expert", the consummate, time-serving hack, Emmanuel, pulled from the rightwing sludge at the bottom of the Dems' political barrel.

Haha! Good one Peter Neil, Christopher Walken gets my vote!

Like anyone knows who Emanuel is

I do, and I'm not even American. His name came up a lot in Bill Clinton's and Barack Obama's autobiographies. He seems sort of, I dunno, temperamentally unsuited to Japan, from what I read: he doesn't mince words.

Assuming he does not speak Japanese, or doesn't speak enough to do his job, his interpreter's going to have an easy job: "Yes". "No". "No way". "Forget it".

The Japanese would prefer someone like Schwarzenneger, or Robert De Niro, or one of the Disney characters. How about Christopher Walken?

MarkToday  06:40 am JST

what will the world do? sanction China? You can't ""bite the hand that feeds you""

since the world is becoming more and more reliant on Chinese products.

You are way behind the news. You are describing China 10 years ago. Today the world has been and continues tp decouple from China for mutliple reasons. Covid19 being one of the lesser reasons.

Emanuel is public instrument of neoliberalism, an ideology and practice that has not only gutted the community health system in Japan, helping to create the present hospital crisis, but has led to ever growing wealth inequality and a huge working poor population in Japan. It is a complete disrespect for the working people here and for democracy that Biden would dump this outcast in our region of the world.

""U.S. intelligence officials are in the midst of a 90-day review focused on determining the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, including any possibility the trail might lead to a Chinese lab.""

If this turns out to be true!?? what will the world do? sanction China? You can't ""bite the hand that feeds you""

since the world is becoming more and more reliant on Chinese products.