J. Thomas Schieffer

WASHINGTON-U.S. officials are eyeing J. Thomas Schieffer, ambassador to Australia and a close friend of President George W. Bush, as the next envoy to Japan, according to government sources.

The current ambassador, Howard H. Baker, will soon retire for health and other reasons. A new envoy will likely take office in or after January, the sources said.

If named, the former Bush business partner would be the ``closest'' ever U.S. ambassador to a sitting president sent to Japan, sources said.

An influential government official recommended Schieffer, 57, as Baker's successor in hopes his close ties to Bush would help further bilateral relations, sources said.

Baker and Schieffer are said to be the two envoys President Bush never fails to meet if asked to do so, they added.

An able businessman, Schieffer is also said to have sharp political insight. Born in Bush's home constituency of Texas in 1947, he earned his master's in international relations at the University of Texas in Austin.

In 1972, the 25-year-old Schieffer was elected to the Texas House of Representatives and served three terms.

He became a lawyer in 1979 and later went into the oil and natural gas business.

In 1989, Schieffer became an investor in a Bush-led partnership that bought the Texas Rangers baseball club. The move is said to have deepened their friendship.

Schieffer assumed Bush's duties as general partner for the team after Bush was elected Texas governor in 1994.

Schieffer's elder brother is CBS anchor and political journalist Bob Schieffer.

Thomas Schieffer was appointed Australian ambassador in August 2001, after Bush won his first presidency. He is said to talk with Bush for hours each time he returns to the United States.

Many of the U.S. ambassadors are political appointees chosen from the private sector. Some are known to be named for their contributions to the administration, including political donations.(IHT/Asahi: November 20,2004)