Japan’s Emperor Confers 14 Grand Cordon Medals

Tokyo, Nov. 11 (Jiji Press)–The award ceremony for this year’s autumn Grand Cordon honors was held at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Tuesday, with Emperor Naruhito conferring medals on 14 recipients in attendance, including three foreigners. The ceremony took place in the “Matsu-no-Ma” state room. The Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers was awarded to former House of Councillors President Hidehisa Otsuji, 85, and former Supreme Court Chief Justice Saburo Tokura, 71. The recipients of the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure included former Kyoto University President Kazuo Oike, 85, and former Vice Finance Minister Toshiro Muto, 82. The awardees of the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun included former Kumamoto Governor Ikuo Kabashima, 78, former state agriculture minister Taku Yamamoto, 73, the husband of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, and former internal affairs minister Heizo Takenaka, 74. Otsuji delivered a speech on behalf of the awardees. The Emperor said, “I express my deepest gratitude for your long years of dedicated service in your respective fields and for your contributions to the nation, society and the people.” The Emperor also delivered part of his address in English for the benefit of the three foreign awardees before speaking individually with each medal recipient. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]