The Abe government is banking on its high approval rating not only to participate in the TPP, but also to address the need to escape from 15 years of deflation and strengthen Japan’s national-security posture, which has been hamstrung for decades. Given the nexus of issues that tie vital US interests to Japan’s reform process, Kennedy, with her character and skills, could well prove to be an essential link between the countries at a crucial point in their relationship.