U.S. Senate Confirms Caroline Kennedy as Ambassador to Japan

October 16, 2013 By in Ambassadors, Confirmations, Nominations, Obama, Political Appointees, U.S. Missions Tags: , , , ,

— By Domani Spero

On October 16, the U.S. Senate confirmed the nomination of Caroline Kennedy – to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Japan.

English: Caroline Kennedy at Barnes & Noble Tr...

English: Caroline Kennedy at Barnes & Noble Tribeca, 97 Warren Street, Manhattan. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ms. Kennedy  had her confirmation hearing on September 19.  Click here for her prepared testimony.  Below is a brief bio released by the WH when she was nominated by President Obama on July 24, 2013.

Caroline Kennedy is President of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation and Chair of the Senior Advisory Committee of the Institute of Politics at Harvard University.  In September 2012, she was appointed as a General Trustee of the Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.  From 2002 to 2012, she served as Vice Chair of the Fund for Public Schools in New York City.  She is also on the Board of Directors of New Visions for Public Schools and serves as Honorary Chair of the American Ballet Theater.  From 1998 to 2009, she served on the Board of Directors of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Legal Defense and Educational Fund.    From 1994 to 2011, she served on the Board of Directors of the Commission on Presidential Debates.  She is the editor of several New York Times best-selling books on topics including constitutional law, American history, politics, and poetry.  She received a B.A. from Harvard University and a J.D. from Columbia Law School.

Ms. Kennedy succeeds Silicon Valley lawyer, John Roos who was appointed ambassador to Japan on August 20, 2009 and left post on August 2013.  Of all ambassadorial appointments to Japan since 1960, 71.4%  went to non-career political appointees.

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