Dec. 8, 2008, Fukuoka - Margot Carrington, Principal Officer of the U.S. Consulate, Fukuoka, recorded a 2009 New Year’s message for local FM station "Love FM." The greeting will be aired in English at 10 a.m. on January 1, 2009, during a radio show aimed at Americans and other English speakers in the area.

Carrington highlighted the Consulate's role of serving as bridge between the U.S. and Japan. She also underscored that the new year will see President-Elect Obama inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States, but pledged that there would be no disruption in the services we provide to Japanese and Americans in our Consular district. The FM station's broadcast reaches listeners in Fukuoka Prefecture as well as some areas of Saga, Kumamoto, Nagasaki, Oita and Yamaguchi Prefectures.