New US ambassador Caroline Kennedy arrives in Japan
Tokyo welcomes new US ambassador on the eve of the 50th anniversary of her father John F Kennedy's assassination
Caroline Kennedy, the lone surviving child of slain US president John F Kennedy, arrived in Tokyo on Friday to take up the post of US ambassador to Japan, pledging to boost ties.
The 55-year-old Kennedy’s arrival comes a week before the 50th anniversary of her father’s assassination in Dallas.
“Hajime-mashite [‘Nice to meet you’],” a smiling Kennedy told reporters in Japanese at Narita airport before moving to the US embassy in downtown Tokyo.
“It is a special honour for me to be able to work to strengthen the close ties between our two great countries ... Our alliance is critical to a prosperous and peaceful world,” she added in a brief speech, accompanied by her husband, Edwin Schlossberg.
Kennedy is the first female US ambassador to the Asian nation, which consistently ranks lower than other wealthy nations on women’s empowerment in politics and business.
Kennedy’s appointment has been hailed in Japan, although some critics have voiced concern at having a diplomatic novice in the important post at a time of high tensions between the close US ally and a rising China.
