Confirmation Hearings

Japan and China experts around the Beltway are all giddy tonight.

Next Thursday, the Senate will hold the confirmation hearings for the ambassadorships to China and Japan. The pundits all await the calls from the media. Quotes in the New York Times and the Washington Post are much sought after prizes. But, appearing on the NewsHour With Jim Lehrer is considered akin to attaining Nirvana in Washington's policy metaphysical universe.

My guess is that The NewsHour will select for commentary their usual Japan experts: Mike Green from CSIS and Ayako Doi an independent journalist. And yes, there is no daylight between news and hour.

This hearing was not announced until after 6pm this evening and is not yet on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's website.

Chairman of the Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs on the Foreign Relations Committee Jim Webb (D-VA) will preside at these confirmation hearings to be held next Thursday, July 23, 9:30am at 419 Dirksen . It will be webcast.

Panel One:

Jon Huntsman, PRC

John Roos, Japan

Panel Two:

Jonathan Addleton, Mongolia

Teddy Taylor, Papua New Guinea, Solomons, Vanuatu

Martha Campbell, Marshall Islands