washington u.s. senate confirm private equity executive william hagerty thursday president donald trump ambassador japan fill post consider especially crucial light neighbor north korea recent missile test vote 86 12 100-member senate hagerty founder private equity firm hagerty peterson spend several years japan boston consult group late serve white house former president george h.w bush trump choice hagerty take sign interest economic tie japan republican president real estate developer reality television star never hold public office elect november north korea worry frustrate neighbor countries u.s. officials series missile test since pyongyang last week test-launched first intercontinental ballistic missile trump criticize slow name ambassadors important u.s. ally like japan especially light crisis still new u.s. ambassador south korea hagerty succeed caroline kennedy attorney daughter late u.s. president john f. kennedy hold position 2013 trump take office january 2017. u.s. senate confirm businessman hagerty ambassador japan