駐日米大使、承認遅れも　アフガンめぐる対立余波

　【ワシントン時事】バイデン米大統領が次期駐日大使に指名したラーム・エマニュエル前シカゴ市長の議会承認が遅れる可能性が出てきた。近年は大統領就任年の夏から秋に大使が着任する例が多かったが、アフガニスタンからの駐留米軍撤収の混乱などをめぐって野党共和党が対決姿勢を強め、審議が滞る見通しとなったためだ。
　駐日大使ポストは２０１９年７月に前任のハガティ氏が上院選出馬のため辞任して以来、空席が続く。オバマ政権で大統領首席補佐官を務めたエマニュエル氏は、当時副大統領だったバイデン氏とも「直接話ができる」と期待されている。（2021/09/19-05:30）

The U.S. Senate's confirmation of former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel as U.S. ambassador to Japan may be delayed due to the opposition's confrontational stance over turmoil in Afghanistan.
   It has become the custom in recent years for U.S. ambassadors to take up their positions in the summer or autumn of the president' first year in office.
   However, deliberations on Emanuel's appointment are likely to stall as the Republican Party is stepping up attacks against President Joe Biden over his handling of the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.
   The position of U.S. ambassador to Japan has been empty since Bill Hagerty resigned in July 2019 to run for a Senate seat.
   Emanuel served as former President Barack Obama's chief of staff and is close to Biden, who was vice president at the time.