August 21 - Ambassador John V. Roos presented his credentials to the Emperor of Japan on the afternoon of August 20, 2009. The Ambassador traveled to the ceremony at the Imperial Palace in a carriage provided by the Imperial Household, departing from and then returning to the Meiji Seimei-kan.

Aug. 19 - Ambassador John V. Roos, accompanied by his wife Susie and their two children, Lauren and David, arrived in Japan today at Narita Airport. In his arrival statement, the Ambassador said that, coming from California's Silicon Valley, where nothing is impossible and the future is now, he sees that Japan embodies the same bold spirit, and that there is nothing that the U.S. and Japan cannot accomplish through cooperation. Ambassador Roos said he looks forward to traveling Japan widely and meeting as many people as possible, furthering the mutual goals and interests of the U.S.-Japan relationship. He and his family very much look forward to making Japan their home during their stay.

Aug. 17 - John V. Roos was sworn in as Ambassador to Japan by Thelton E. Henderson, Senior Judge, U. S. District Court, Northern District of California, in ceremonies in Hillsborough, California on August 16.

• • More about Ambassador Roos
• • High-resolution photo

Aug. 17 - U.S. Ambassador to Japan John Roos is scheduled to arrive in Tokyo on the afternoon of Aug. 19. He will be accompanied by his wife Susie and their two children, Lauren and David.

Aug. 10 - John Roos was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Aug. 7 to become the next U.S. Ambassador to Japan. Prior to his nomination, Mr. Roos served as Chief Executive Officer at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, a technology-focused law firm, since 2005. Mr. Roos holds a Bachelor's degree from Stanford University and a J.D. from Stanford Law School.

• President Obama's statement about Ambassador Roos
• Ambassador Roos's statement before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Aug. 7 - President Barack Obama met with John Roos, U.S. Ambassador-Designate to Japan, on August 6. Before the meeting, the President stressed that the United States and Japan have an extraordinarily close relationship based on shared values and shared interests, adding, "(John Roos) is somebody who I know is going to be working incredibly hard to make sure that he is listening to and understanding the full scope of Japanese concerns." [Remarks] In addition, President Obama said that Mr. Roos is the person who can best do the job because of his superb judgment and outstanding intellect, noting, "He is a very close friend and a close advisor."

Aug. 6 - American journalists Euna Lee and Laura Ling, who had been detained in North Korea since March, were released on Aug. 5 after former President Bill Clinton visited Pyongyang. President Barack Obama issued a statement saying that the pair's return was "a source of happiness not only for the families, but for the entire country." The journalists were arrested while working along the China-North Korea border.

Aug. 6 - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton began a seven-nation trip to Africa on Aug. 4 with stops including Kenya, South Africa, Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo. While in Nairobi, Secretary Clinton is participating in the U.S.-Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum, also called the AGOA Forum. Secretary Clinton said the trip underscores the importance of trade and commerce between Africa and the U.S., noting that, "The presence of so many distinguished leaders from across Africa (at the AGOA forum) reflects our shared aspirations for greater economic growth and prosperity on this continent."

 More information on Secretary Clinton's trip to Africa:

• Transcript and video of the press conference with Kenyan Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula
• Remarks at the 8th AGOA Forum
• Department of State blog with details of Secretary Clinton's visit to Africa

July 30 - A Memorandum to enhance cooperation on climate change, energy and the environment was issued as a part of the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue held between the two countries. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said the memorandum builds on past efforts and highlights the importance of climate change in the U.S.-China relationship.

July 30 - In cooperation with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Irish rock band U2 is linking up with the International Space Station during stops of its ongoing 2009 tour. At the Barcelona concert, Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata told the crowd, "We’re from all over the world. Differences fade away when we rely on each other to survive here."