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Rahm Emanuel
Ambassador to Japan
Ambassador Rahm Emanuel, affectionately known as ‘Rahmbo’ for his characteristically brash style, has had a prolific career in Democratic Party politics and public service. After graduating from Northwestern University in 1985, he joined the Clinton Administration in 1993 as a Senior Advisor to the President for Policy and Strategy and became one of the key strategists in the U.S. implementation of NAFTA. Following a stint in finance, Emanuel won the race for Illinois’s 5th congressional district, which he held from 2003 to 2009, and oversaw the Democratic Party victories in the 2006 and 2008 elections as chairman of the Democratic National Committee. In 2009, he was appointed as the White House Chief of Staff by President Obama. He held this position until 2010 when he resigned to run for Mayor of Chicago, serving two terms in this role from 2011 to 2019.
Emanuel was nominated by President Biden to be U.S. Ambassador to Japan in August of 2021, and was formally sworn in on December 21, 2021 after being confirmed by the Senate.
Views On China
Ambassador Emanuel has made it clear that he views his role as a bulwark to protect American interests in Asia against China. The key to thwarting China’s regional ambitions, Emanuel says, is the solidarity the U.S. shares with key regional allies such as Japan and South Korea. When quizzed on a number of topics which extended beyond Japan in his confirmation hearing—such as the Taiwan issue, China’s increasing naval assertiveness, and intellectual property theft—Emanuel made the following comment:
China aims to conquer through division. America’s strategy is security through unity. That regional unity is built on the shoulders of the U.S.-Japan alliance.
Notable Speeches, Testimony & Commentary
Media Commentary & Public Perceptions
- “Tokyo-bound US envoy Rahm Emanuel draws mixed feelings in Japan for brash style,” South China Morning Post, December 20, 2021
- “Rahm Emanuel Addresses the McDonald Killing and China During His Confirmation Hearing,” The New York Times, October 20, 2021
- “U.S. envoy to Japan nominee vows to deepen ties amid China challenge,” Kyodo News, October 21, 2021
Emanuel’s pledge to bolster Japan-U.S. ties was welcomed by Japan with a government spokesman saying Tokyo is waiting for him to assume the ambassadorship.
Page Last Updated: December 30, 2021
*None of the personnel in this tracker are associated with the Institute for China-America Studies. All images used on this page are sourced from the official Biden-Harris transition website buildbackbetter.gov or the public domain.*
