U.S. ambassador to Japan to resign this month

(Reuters) - U.S. Ambassador to Japan William Hagerty is resigning this month after two years in office, the U.S. Embassy said on Tuesday.

Hagerty, who succeeded Caroline Kennedy as envoy to one of Washington's most important allies in late July 2017, upheld U.S. President Donald Trump's hard line on trade during his time in office.

“Ambassador Hagerty is honored to have represented the President and the American people in his work to advance the U.S.-Japan alliance, the cornerstone of peace and prosperity in the Pacific,” the embassy said in a statement.

Trump announced on Twitter on Friday that Hagerty will run to be the next senator from Tennessee after longtime Republican veteran Lamar Alexander announced in December he would not seek re-election in 2020, and that he had Trump's full endorsement.