President Ford and Japan
The Japan-America Society joins the nation in mourning the loss of President Gerald R. Ford.
President Ford set two "firsts" with respect to Japan.
Visits to Japan by American Presidents are now commonplace. But it is remarkable to know that Gerald Ford was the first incumbent American President to visit Japan, when he travelled to Tokyo in November 1974.
(Ulysses S. Grant was the only other US President to visit Japan, although his visit came two years after he left the Presidency.)
A year later, President Ford also welcomed the Emperor Showa (Emperor Hirohito) to Washington in October 1975. This was the first state visit by a Japanese Emperor to the United States.
As a US Navy officer in World War II, Ford had engaged in nine combat operations against Japanese forces in the Pacific. So the visit to the United States by Emperor Hirohito had a special meaning.
President Ford set two "firsts" with respect to Japan.
Visits to Japan by American Presidents are now commonplace. But it is remarkable to know that Gerald Ford was the first incumbent American President to visit Japan, when he travelled to Tokyo in November 1974.
(Ulysses S. Grant was the only other US President to visit Japan, although his visit came two years after he left the Presidency.)
A year later, President Ford also welcomed the Emperor Showa (Emperor Hirohito) to Washington in October 1975. This was the first state visit by a Japanese Emperor to the United States.
As a US Navy officer in World War II, Ford had engaged in nine combat operations against Japanese forces in the Pacific. So the visit to the United States by Emperor Hirohito had a special meaning.
posted by Blogmaster | 11:19 AM
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