President-elect Donald Trump has named George Glass as the United States ambassador to Japan, a critical diplomatic role as the administration plans to adopt a tougher stance toward China.

“I am pleased to announce George Edward Glass as our next United States Ambassador to Japan,” Trump shared on his Truth Social platform. “As a former president of an investment bank, George will bring valuable business expertise to this position,” he added.

Glass, who also has experience in real estate, previously served as the U.S. ambassador to Portugal during Trump’s first term.

Speaking at a press conference earlier on Monday, Trump commended Glass as a “highly respected individual” and praised his prior diplomatic work. “He’s served as an ambassador before and did an outstanding job. Japan is a vital ally to us,” Trump stated. The announcement coincided with Trump unveiling a $100 billion investment in the U.S. by Japan’s SoftBank Group Corp.