politics

New U.S. envoy to Japan vows support amid regional tensions

35 Comments
By Mari Yamaguchi and Haruka Nuga

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35 Comments
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This guy is lying through his teeth. Rahm is dumb as bricks he is only in Japan for the ride. The post of U.S. ambassador to Japan was vacant for more than two years. If I was Japan I would have left it that way because this guy is like a card board stand in he will do nothing!! If this guy as mayor of Chicago couldn't get his own city that was full murder and crime under control how can he give Japan ANY advice on tensions anywhere? LMFAO Emanuel called Russia's amassing of military force along the Ukraine border “a clear and consequential threat to peace, security and a rules-based system.” Why didn't he that as Mayor of Chicago he say GANG WAR FARE as a threat to the many innocent citizens that was killed nightly by gun fire under his watch. He did nothing about the Mexican Cartel coercion, intimidation and its influence flooding drugs in the poor inner city of Chicago. LMFAO by the Mexican cartels. All the while he served as Barack Obama’s first White House chief of staff. What a joke, a card board stand in would have been better!!

11 ( +23 / -12 )

He was useless in Chicago.

11 ( +19 / -8 )

Did Rahm Emanuel quarantine strictly like every one else? Seems a bit of a short time for him to be out mingling and with no mask at that.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

In my book both are useless. I cannot in good conscience give any of them a thumbs up. They are not Aces in my book.

3 ( +9 / -6 )

What else is he going to say, it is quite obvious Japan is an asset of the US in the region, maybe not so useful outside of being the site for the bases, but something worth keeping

3 ( +4 / -1 )

This guy is lying through his teeth. Rahm is dumb as bricks he is only in Japan for the ride. The post of U.S. ambassador to Japan was vacant for more than two years. If I was Japan I would have left it that way because this guy is like a card board stand in he will do nothing!! If this guy as mayor of Chicago couldn't get his own city that was full murder and crime under control how can he give Japan ANY advice on tensions anywhere? LMFAO Emanuel called Russia's amassing of military force along the Ukraine border “a clear and consequential threat to peace, security and a rules-based system.” Why didn't he that as Mayor of Chicago he say GANG WAR FARE as a threat to the many innocent citizens that was killed nightly by gun fire under his watch. He did nothing about the Mexican Cartel coercion, intimidation and its influence flooding drugs in the poor inner city of Chicago. LMFAO by the Mexican cartels. All the while he served as Barack Obama’s first White House chief of staff. What a joke, a card board stand in would have been better!!

Perfect!

2 ( +7 / -5 )

This is such a weird photo-op. Don't shake hands because of the pandemic, sure that is reasonable. Where in the world are your masks then? At the very least put them on for the photo-op just to look good.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

@gintonic 

@Todd

@AramaTaihenNoYouDidnt

@Addfwyn 

They took their masks off for the photo — like is commonly done at these events.

“Where are their masks? Their masks? Their masks?”

Geez!

2 ( +4 / -2 )

They took their masks off for the photo — like is commonly done at these events.

“Where are their masks? Their masks? Their masks?”

Yeah that is what is always said and then you see them before and after the photo also without masks.

Then they claim they just took them off momentarily for a "brief second" then you see 30 minute time lapse of photos and they have masks in none of them. then its like "oh I apologize, I will do better next time".

2 ( +5 / -3 )

@Blacklabel 

Still with the masks?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I admire the fact that new U.S. Ambassador Emanuel does not follow Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi’s habit of putting his mobile phone in the outside breast pocket of his suit with the camera lens pointed directly at you.

1 ( +8 / -7 )

Why does he need to present his credentials to emperor Naruhito to officially become ambassador ?

It appears the emperor is not really just a figurehead that's incapable of making decisions for Japan.

The imperial reign is rearing its ugly head.

That has always been the system in Japan. When people tell you that the emperor is just a figurehead, that is just a get out clause for him to not accept any responsibility. The emperor can do no wrong.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Whatever else, this appointment is an insult to Japan. As have been many of the previous ambassadors. It shows that the US regards Japan as unimportant, or malleable. Ambassadors to serious allies should be professional diplomats, or at least people with solid foreign policy credentials. Political appointees, given their posts by presidents as gifts to donors or friends, are an embarrassment.

The ambassadorship to Japan shouldn&t be seen as a boutique position to be given as a quid pro quo to a supporter. Plenty of small and/or insignificant countries available for that nonsense.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Mr Emanuel (I have a difficult time calling Ambassador), although born in the United States of America, served in Israel’s armed forces instead of his native country.

No. He was never a member of either the US or Israeli armed forces. Emanuel took part in a two-week civilian volunteer holiday, known as the Sar-El, where, as a civilian volunteer, he assisted the Israel Defense Forces during the 1991 Gulf War, helping to repair truck brakes in one of Israel's northern bases at a time when the Iraqis were shooting missiles into Israel.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

New U.S. envoy to Japan vows support amid regional tensions

He also vows to protect his citizen for hostage justice in Japan under during term.

https://news.yahoo.com/hagerty-backs-emanuel-nomination-112015137.html

0 ( +7 / -7 )

Mr Emanuel (I have a difficult time calling Ambassador), although born in the United States of America, served in Israel’s armed forces instead of his native country.

He should have lost his U. S. citizenship. Instead, he went on to get elected to the U.S. Congress as a representative from Illinois. Later, he became Chief of Staff in White House during the Obama Administration. After, he was elected Mayor of the City of Chicago.

Mr. Emanuel is the wrong person to represent the United States of America anywhere, much less as Ambassador in Japan.

0 ( +6 / -6 )

Why aren't they wearing masks???

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Rahm Emanuel is a scoundrel. A failed mayor. Served poorly in the White House. Was a nebish as an elected representative.

Biden sends a man with no Asian experience, let alone in Japan. Does not speak Japanese. He is legendary for being rude and aggressive. Has absolutely no experience in the region.

Essentially, he was denied a cabinet position - he had his eye on the Department of Transportation - which went to a completely inexperienced individual, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, who has never held a position on the federal or state level - which simply denotes Emanuel was not welcome in the current administration. Instead, as a reward for his good service, he was sent to the other-side of the planet.

It demonstrates a lack of respect for Japan, which remains a client-state of the American Empire - the primary use being as a location for military bases - a primary line of defense aka offensive strike force against China.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Washington is “fully committed”

Fully commited in its own and selfish greedy interest, lol...

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I hope Ambassador Emanuel is not so bad an appointment as Richard Gallapher lambastes him.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Japan will give him the full-on (surface-only) motenashi treatment and smooth him all the way back over to the US after he does little except what his host masters want. He's no Caroline Kennedy push over but this is the story of every short-term gaijin. Lots of "yeses" and compliment and little to no action. He won't know what hit him and will leave pining for the good ol' days when we people kissed his....

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Well at least they had a nice conversation in English. Harvard-educated Hayashi was the former Education Minster (and we can still see that nothing changed there). Now he’s tasked with strengthening the U.S.-Japan alliance while build a stable relationship with China, South Korea and North Korea? The wheels will continue to turn as they have.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

I'm sorry that so many of you are so angry and unhappy about everything all the time.

Maybe you should get some fresh air once or twice a day.

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

Emanuel is a former three-term congressman who served as Barack Obama’s first White House chief of staff and was a senior adviser in Bill Clinton’s administration.

As Barrack Obama's White House Chief of Staff and a senior adviser for Bill Clinton, Ambassador Rahm Emanuel must be fully aware of what's going on in U.S. bases in Okinawa. 

Clinton, his former boss, promised in June 2000 that the U.S. military footprint in Okinawa will be significantly reduced, and yet the U.S. is persistent to maintain the same degree of military capabilities, thus urging Tokyo to go ahead with the landfill work in Henoko to build a replacement for Futenma.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

We are waiting for his words about the Futenma relocation issue very soon.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Emanuel will make history as the man that destroyed the japanese hostage justice and the institutiinalized xenophobia.

Go, get them!

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

Excuse me, can I have your credit card? Don’t need the PIN number, we have Pegasus. We will send you some weapons when they are surplus.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

What can the US do when they cannot even help themselves. Who are they trying to kid???.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Another useless American.. if the post had been empty why not kept it that way during the height of a pandemic

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

ok so guy will just do his job so what?

ever ambassador doing so.

or is there anything special we need to know?

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

Why does he need to present his credentials to emperor Naruhito to officially become ambassador ?

It appears the emperor is not really just a figurehead that's incapable of making decisions for Japan.

The imperial reign is rearing its ugly head.

-18 ( +2 / -20 )

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