Japan's new Emperor Naruhito, left, delivers a speech, accompanied by Empress Masako, right, to well-wishers from the balcony during his first public appearance with his imperial families at Imperial Palace Saturday, May 4, 2019, in Tokyo. Image Credit: AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko The Audience with His Imperial Highness and Her Imperial Highness: The Crown Prince and Princess of Japan In a previous life, I was a Maureen and Mike Mansfield Fellow from the US Government to the Japanese Government. In those days the selection process was rigorous, it consisted of a review of your academic and work background, your understanding of Asian cultures, interviews by Japanese experts (business, Fulbright, etc.) that evaluated your study and work proposals. In the fall of 2007, my name appeared in the Washington Post. The announcement changed the next two years of my life: Fiscal Years 2008-2009. I attended Japanese language school and US State Department's Foreign Servic