Amb. Caroline Kennedy

Amb. Caroline Kennedy

Photo credit: Janet Donovan

Nobuko Sasae held her last forum with recent Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy. The Nobuko Forum “is a dialogue that seeks to empower young professional women by lifting up the experiences and insights of women leaders from both the United States and Japan. While still valuing traditional virtues, women have the power to be bolder in their thinking, in their behavior, in their careers and in their leadership. We celebrate the possibilities when women liberate their talents, strength and intellect.”

Nobuko Sasae with Amb. Caroline Kennedy   Photo credit: Embassy of Japan

It seems like just days ago that the Amb. and Mrs. Sasae hosted their celebration party for Amb. Kennedy.  This was first posted on January 11th, 2014:

“We have many members of the extended Kennedy family here,” said Ambassador Sasae. At least for tonight, this is The Kennedy Center. The reason we are here tonight is to celebrate that Japan is about to receive a new ambassador. I might add, the first female ambassador.  Although tonight is not a time to talk politics, the arrival of the first woman ambassador is absolutely great for my country. Prime Minister Abe seeks to increase the economic roles of Japanese women.

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Ambassador Kenichiro Sasae

From Ambassador Kennedy’s testimony, I learned something I didn’t know. Her father, who served in the Pacific during World War II, had hoped to be the first sitting President to make a state visit to Japan. I hadn’t realized that. Ambassador Kennedy said in her hearing that she will be humbled to carry forward his legacy in a small way, and represent the wonderful bond that unites our two democratic societies. We do have powerful bonds that unite us, and my government is very grateful for these important bonds and seeks to strengthen them.

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Alan Greenspan and Andrea Mitchell

Let me start bringing this to a close by noting that Ambassador Kennedy loves poems. In fact, I have tried to write a haiku poem just for her. Unfortunately, it came out as a limerick, not a poem. I’ll not introduce it as such. Instead, I have the honor of introducing the lovely daughters of two of our embassy staff members, who are going to recite for us the Robert Frost poem, “The Road Not Taken.” We thought this poem was appropriate, since Ambassador Kennedy is taking a new road and embarking on a new adventure.”

Poems

Sakura Buker and Lynn Sugahara

“Thank you Ambassador Sasae for your thoughtfulness in helping prepare the tea ceremony that we had earlier which was a wonderful introduction to the spirit and culture of Japan,” responded Amb. Kennedy. Your hospitality, your support, your friendship throughout this process has really meant so much to me and to my husband, Ed. I look forward to working closely with you in coming months to further strengthen the bond between our two countries.

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Ambassador Kennedy

I’m so honored that Secretary Kerry is able to be here. I want to thank you for making this such a special day by taking the time to swear me in this afternoon and coming to celebrate the U.S.Japan relationship tonight.  Thank you so much. [Speaks in Japanese]

I’m grateful to all of you for bringing our nations closer. I’m grateful to all those who have gone before us, distinguished ambassadors, political leaders and diplomats, scholars and students, soldiers and citizens who spend time in each other’s countries and return home committed to work on behalf of this critical alliance.

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Ambassador Kennedy

I am most grateful to President Obama for entrusting me with this important mission. It’s a momentous time in history and a critical time in U.S.Japan relations. As the United States rebalances toward Asia, Japan remains our most important ally. The US-Japan relationship is the cornerstone of regional prosperity, stability and security and Japan is America’s most important partner in humanitarian efforts and civil society initiatives around the world.

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Our countries have forged a path towards peace. I can think of nothing more important than to be able to help us travel further together on that path.  I am honored to support my country in this important endeavor, and I pledge to work as hard as I can to strengthen our alliance, to increase understanding both in Tokyo and Washington, and come back home and encourage all Americans to visit Japan.

A great poet, a Japanese poet Basho, wrote about preparing for his journey to the distant port: ‘The guardian spirits of the road beckoned, and I could not settle down to work.” Hundreds of years later, I believe the guardian spirits are beckoning me, and I can’t wait to get to work in Japan.”

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Secretary John Kerry

“For all those of you who don’t speak Japanese, she said, ‘See you in Japan.’ Since I don’t speak Japanese, I got a quick interpretation,” said Secretary Kerry.

“I reminded Caroline earlier this afternoon that the first time I met her was when she was four and a half years old and I was visiting, I was working for Teddy Kennedy in his campaign back then in 1962 and was visiting, and she was about to go riding on Macaroni … I remember the pony, and all of us do … and I managed to back into her and step on her foot sufficiently that she broke into wild tears. I thought I would never be welcome again near her. Somehow she forgave me, and we are here on a very, very special occasion. I knew she had invited the whole Kennedy family when I saw the traffic jam out there.

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I’ve been now already to Japan twice in the last months and most recently with Secretary Hagel. We had what we call in the vernacular a 2+2 meeting … Defense and State … and we resignaled the importance of our relationship with Japan. We could not be more excited or more pleased with the incredible efforts of Prime Minister Abe and the way in which they are taking hold of a new and stronger role in the region. Ambassador Kennedy is going to contribute to that, we know, in so many significant ways.

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Secretary Kerry

I think it is true … and I think everybody here knows this … that because of her family and because of the road she has traveled … it’s hardly the road less traveled … but she has done so with special grace and with the captured imaginations of all Americans who, from the time she was yay high, have watched her. In many ways, she’s been an ambassador all her life.

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Teresa Heinz Kerry and Mrs. Sasae

I think that everybody here would agree that she has superbly carried into public life and her life the ethos of her family which her father so expressed, which is sort of reach out beyond yourself, live beyond your own persona in an effort to try to make a difference. Now, Ambassador Kennedy will join a remarkable period of history by leading our relationship to still a stronger place.

It’s pretty remarkable. The daughter of a heroic lieutenant in World War II will be the first woman in the next generation after the war to represent our country in a relationship that symbolizes so much more than just a normal diplomatic relationship. This is a symbol of reconciliation, a symbol of possibilities, a symbol of people who know how to put the past behind them and look to the future and build a future together. That is, in today’s world, both remarkable and beautiful.

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Sec. John Kerry, Amb. Caroline Kennedy, Edwin Schlossberg, Amb. Kenichiro Sasae

Mr. Ambassador, know that you are getting an envoy who has the ear of the President, the respect of the President, the affection of the President. That, as we all know, is a vital thing in the conduct of foreign policy. Mr. Ambassador, we drink to the strength of the relationship between the United States and Japan, and to the continued history we will write together.”

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