Trump picks China critic Glass as Japan envoy By Reuters

By Ryan Patrick Jones

(Reuters) – U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Monday he was picking George Glass, a former investment banker and diplomat known for his criticism of China, to be his ambassador to Japan.

“During my first term, George was the US ambassador to Portugal. As a former investment bank president, George will bring his business acumen to the ambassadorship,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

During his 2017-2021 tenure in Lisbon, Glass was noted for warning against Beijing’s mismanagement of investments in strategic sectors in Portugal and the COVID-19 pandemic.

His election comes amid strained relations between Tokyo and Beijing over a range of issues from trade to territorial disputes.

Japan hosts the largest overseas contingent of US forces, including Washington’s only carrier strike group on China’s doorstep.

Among Japan’s concerns about Trump’s return is whether he will force Tokyo to pay more for the US military presence or adopt protectionist trade measures that could hurt Japanese companies.

Asked about Glass at a news conference on Tuesday, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said Tokyo looked forward to “raising the Japan-US alliance to new heights with the next administration.”

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba failed in an attempt to meet Trump last month. Trump said Monday he was willing to meet with Ishiba before his January 20 inauguration.

Glass, an Oregon businessman, is a devout Catholic and was a top fundraiser for Trump’s 2024 campaign.

He founded the Portland-based investment bank Pacific Crest Securities, serving as chairman and vice chairman from 1990 to 2014, and in 2015 launched real estate business MGG Development LLC.