<P> On September 19, 2013, Caroline Kennedy sat before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and responded to questions from both Republican and Democrat senators in relation to her appointment as the US ambassador to Japan . Kennedy, nominated by President Obama in early 2013, explained that her focus would be military ties, trade, and student exchange if she was confirmed for the position . </P> <P> The United States has been Japan's largest economic partner, taking 31.5% of its exports, supplying 22.3% of its imports, and accounting for 45.9% of its direct investment abroad in 1990 . As of 2013, the United States takes up 18% of Japanese exports, and supplies 8.5% of its imports (the slack having been picked up by China, which now provides 22%). </P> <P> Japan's imports from the United States included both raw materials and manufactured goods . United States agricultural products were a leading import in 1990 (US $8.5 billion as measured by United States export statistics), made up of meat (US $1.5 billion), fish (US $1.8 million), grains (US $2.4 billion), and soybeans (US $8.8 billion). Imports of manufactured goods were mainly in the category of machinery and transportation equipment, rather than consumer goods . In 1990 Japan imported US $11.1 billion of machinery from the United States, of which computers and computer parts (US $3.9 billion) formed the largest single component . In the category of transportation equipment, Japan imported US $3.3 billion of aircraft and parts (automobiles and parts accounted for only US $1.8 billion). </P> <P> Japan's exports to the United States were almost entirely manufactured goods . Automobiles were by far the largest single category, amounting to US $21.5 billion in 1990, or 24% of total Japanese exports to the United States . Automotive parts accounted for another US $10.7 billion . Other major items were office machinery (including computers), which totaled US $8.6 billion in 1990, telecommunications equipment (US $4.1 billion) and power - generating machinery (US $451 million). </P>

When did the united states and japan become allies