Joe Biden reportedly plans to nominate Caroline Kennedy, daughter of John F Kennedy, as the US ambassador to Australia.

Kennedy, 63, a scion of one of America’s most famous political families, has long been considered a leading candidate for a high-profile envoy position after she threw her support behind Biden’s presidential campaign in February last year, writing that the former vice-president was more prepared for the job than his rivals.

The White House did not immediately return a request for comment on the report from CNN on Friday naming Kennedy as the pick for US ambassador to Australia, citing three unidentified people familiar with the process. The White House told the news outlet that more ambassadors would be announced when the vetting process was finished and the host countries had been notified.

Kennedy previously served as US ambassador to Japan under Barack Obama. The first female US ambassador to Japan, Kennedy was an early and prominent supporter of Obama in his initial quest for the presidency in 2008 along with her uncle Senator Ted Kennedy, and also campaigned for him.

In a Boston Globe editorial to announce her endorsement of Biden in 2020, Kennedy praised him for his long career as a public servant and fondly recalled Biden visiting Tokyo as vice-president while she was ambassador.

“[Biden] stepped off Air Force Two wearing his aviator glasses and a big smile,” she wrote in the Globe ahead of the New Hampshire primary last year. “He radiated American optimism and generosity of spirit. He made clear that America would always stand by our allies, and that we were committed to keeping the region peaceful and prosperous. He delivered tough messages as well, but he did it in private, with skill and respect.”