The Art and Challenges of Diplomacy with Margot Carrington Asia in Washington Podcast

In this episode of "Asia in Washington," hosts Adriana Reinecke and Lauren Mosely sit down with Ms. Margot Carrington, a retired diplomat, whose 25-year career with the US Department of State culminated in a four-year tour as Minister Counselor for Public Affairs, US Embassy Tokyo, to discuss her experiences shaping and communicating U.S. policy in Asia. Ms. Carrington shares some of the biggest challenges of her diplomatic career, such as the barriers for women in the Foreign Service and tensions arising from the large U.S. military presence in Japan, as well as some of her proudest accomplishments, including the first visit of a US president to Hiroshima following its bombing during World War II, which succeeded in conveying a lasting message of US-Japan reconciliation.

As Minister-Counselor for Public Affairs, US Embassy, Tokyo - a senior role overseeing a $10 million budget and 70 American and Japanese staff - Margot served as the ambassador's lead advisor on public diplomacy, managed all USG bilateral exchange programs, and raised the profile of the United States through traditional and social media. She also served as chair of the binational commission that administers the Fulbright program in Japan. Prior to her retirement, her achievements in strengthening US-Japan cultural exchange and in underscoring the importance of women's advancement were recognized with the Lois Roth Award for Cultural Diplomacy, the US Department of State's most prestigious award for public diplomacy.

Recorded on Thursday, April 8, 2022. Sound-edited by Lauren Mosely. Produced by Neave Denny.
From Asia in Washington, an Edwin O. Reischauer Center for East Asian Studies Podcast.

To read a transcript of this episode, please visit:
https://www.reischauercenter.org/podcasts/the-art-and-challenges-of-diplomacy/