Straight from Tokyo, Japan: an exclusive with Amb. Rahm Emanuel.
Before his current posting as US ambassador to Japan, Rahm served as a senior advisor to Bill Clinton, multiple terms in the US House of Representatives, Obama’s first chief of staff, and the mayor of Chicago.
If nothing else, you can count on his gloves-off, no-holds-barred approach to politics — and he’s been no different when it comes to China. Notwithstanding reports that even officials in Biden’s NSC have told him to stop “taunting” China, Rahm has been consistently, uniquely willing to say out loud what virtually every other high-ranking US official doesn’t.
Of course, the ambassador — or, as his desk placard during his chief-of-staff days read, “Undersecretary for Go Fuck Yourself” — may take issue with that framing. His comments aren’t “critical,” Rahm says, but “truthful.”
This interview covers a ton of ground. On China:
And on politics and life:
I really enjoyed my trip to Japan, and I’d love a financial excuse to continue recording shows on the country. If you work at JETRO, METI, The Japan Foundation, Mitsubishi, Rakuten, etc. and are interested in seeing more deep coverage of Japan and US-China-Japan relations on this podcast, do reach out!
Outtro music: Tadao Hayashi Japanese Harp Trio's 1977 take on I Could Have Danced All Night Tadao Hayashi Harp Trio – The Impossible Dream 1977 (youtube.com)
Also from 1977, Tokai by Kaeko Onuki Tokai (youtube.com)
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nick Consonery on China's Economic Reform Trajectory
The Chinese Rustbelt with Song Houze
Oona Hathaway and Scott Shapiro on How the World Order Evolves
Barry Eichengreen on the Rise and Fall of Global Currencies
Ex-Head of Mobile at Mobike Max Zhou on Dockless Bikeshares in China
Keller Easterling on Free Zones and the Origins and Global Impact of SEZs
Peter Lorentzen on the Politics of Protest in China
Matt Sheehan on 'Chinafornia'
Jonathan Woetzel on China's Digital Economy
Julian Gewirtz on Unlikely Partners: Western Economists and Reform and Opening
The Book of Swindles: Cons from the Late Ming Dynasty
Cynthia Estlund on Labor in China
Andrew Polk on the 19th Party Congress
Scott Kennedy on Innovation in China
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free