Japanese Not Pleased by Probable U.S. Ambassadorial Appointment

May 20 (EIRNS)—John H. Roos, a Silicon Valley lawyer with no Asian experience, but who raised a lot of money for Barack Obama's Presidential campaign, is reported by the Japanese press to have been chosen as the next U.S. Ambassador to Japan. Asahi Shimbun reports that "Obama's aides had pushed for someone close to the President."

The paper's sources said, "the decision to base the choice on degree of closeness rather than knowledge or diplomatic experience follows the example of former President George W. Bush's appointment of Thomas Schieffer, a former business partner and close friend, as ambassador to Japan."

The Japanese have supported Joseph Nye, a prominent Japan/Asia scholar, who is also reported to be the preference of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Roos is CEO of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati in Palo Alto, California. The firm represents such big names as Google, HP, and Pixar.