A week before the 50th anniversary of her father’s death, Caroline Kennedy entered the country she studied and began to admire many years ago: Japan.
Kennedy was sworn in as the US Ambassador to Japan on November 12, 2013, making her the first female US Ambassador to the Asian country.
Kennedy has long been enamored with Japan, and the fondness was strengthened while she was working at the New York Metropolitan Museum in New York City.
“…I loved to walk through the Japanese galleries, and I became more familiar with Japanese arts and culture,” she said in an interview. “I have long admired Japanese civilization and I know that America has no more important ally than Japan.”
Hear what Caroline has to say about her new position in her own words by watching the video below:
Kennedy studied Japanese art while in college, and spent her 1986 honeymoon with husband Edwin Schlossberg in Kyoto and Nara.
Her trip to Tokyo comes at a time in which the US and other countries have made a historical deal with Iran to put a temporary halt on the Middle Eastern country’s nuclear weapons production. This type of work is close to the only living child of John F Kennedy, as she said her father considered the Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty to be his biggest success, and that she is proud to work for a president whose aim is to eliminate this frightful weapon from the world.
Twitter was full of kind words to Kennedy on the anniversary of her father’s death.
You were only 6 yrs old, I was 13. You have had so much loss throughout the yrs, yet you move forward. Much love to you #CarolineKennedy
— Barbara Nugent (@ecademist) November 23, 2013
50 years ago was a sad day in America's history, #JFK #CarolineKennedy http://t.co/kBURt7rpmo
— Cubby (@CubbySquires) November 22, 2013
My imaginary friend growing up was a real life person #carolinekennedy. Odd yes, but 50 years ago my friend's daddy passed away RIP #JFK
— Carol Masio (@cjm941) November 23, 2013
How must today have been for #carolinekennedy ?? Thinking about her.
— Michelle Ryan (@Michelle_Ryan32) November 23, 2013
Although Kennedy has basically stayed away from being in any type of political position, she has held many leadership roles in a variety of institutions, including the John F Kennedy Library Foundation, the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the Institute of Politics at Harvard University.
Image via Wikimedia Commons
