• Obama’s former chief of staff also served as Chicago mayor

• Emanuel joins long list of ambassadors awaiting confirmation

Joe Biden plans to nominate Rahm Emanuel, a former US lawmaker who served as chief of staff to President Barack Obama and as mayor of Chicago, to be ambassador to Japan, the White House said in a statement on Friday.

White House officials lauded Emanuel’s experience and long years of public service in announcing the nomination.

Related: Biden picks ex-Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel as US ambassador to Japan