The envoy, Kevin Rudd, said that he had removed the posts “out of respect for the office of the president.” But it was a sign of broader anxiety over Donald J. Trump’s return to power.
Western officials are investigating whether devices planted at shipping hubs in Europe may have been a test run by Russian operatives for placing them on planes bound for the U.S.
The proposed merger of Japanese and American industrial giants, which proponents say would benefit both countries, is ensnared by political and labor opposition.
Alarmed by the prospect of increased tariffs on Chinese goods if Donald Trump is elected, some American companies are stockpiling parts and delaying expansions.