"Trump reviews 'popular hardliner' George Glass as ambassador to Japan"

CBS reported on the 14th local time that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is considering nominating former Portuguese ambassador George Glass as Japan's ambassador.

Former Ambassador Glass is from the business community and has long supported Trump.

Having established an investment bank specializing in technology in Portland in 1990, he has entered the real estate development industry since 2014.

He supported Trump during the 2016 presidential election and was appointed Portuguese ambassador in 2017.

Former Ambassador Glass has been Portugal's ambassador for nearly four years, paying attention to economic sectors such as energy and agriculture, and is said to have consistently kept China in check.

It has opposed Chinese telecoms equipment and mobile phone maker Huawei's participation in the 5G (5th generation mobile telecommunications) business and warned that it would stop exporting U.S. natural gas if Portugal entrusted the construction of a major port to a Chinese company.

In response to former Ambassador Glass's remarks, public opposition spread within Portugal at the time.

A link between former business ambassador Glass and Japan has not been confirmed.

Meanwhile, Trump appointed Senator Bill Hagerty, a former business backer, as the ambassador to Japan in 2017.

Haggerty, the founder of the private equity firm "Haggerty Peterson," chaired the Tennessee branch of the Trump Victory Committee, a political fundraising organization, during the 2016 presidential election.

He resigned himself as Japan's ambassador in 2019 to run for the federal Senate.

During the first Trump administration, the first Korean ambassador was Harry Harris, former commander of the Pacific Command (PACOM).

Trump has not named an ambassador to South Korea for 16 months since taking office in January 2017.