Khaldon Azhari

TOKYO: The Japanese government honored 10 prominent Arab personalities with imperial orders, decorations and medals for their notable contributions in various fields to strengthening relations and promoting friendships between their countries and Japan.

From Oman, Tunisia, Egypt, Djibouti, Mauritania, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Lebanon, ten Arab recipients were among 112 foreigners from 59 countries decorated at this year’s Spring Honors. In addition, 4,034 Japanese citizens were honored, including 1,962 from the private sector and 453 women.

A list of the honorees that Arab News Japan received showed that two Arabs, Yousuf bin Alawi, Oman’s former Foreign Minister, and Mohamed Ghannouchi, Tunisia’s former Prime Minister and Minister of International Cooperation and Foreign Investment, were awarded the highest honor, the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun. 

The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star, was awarded to Hisham Badr, former Ambassador of Egypt to Japan and former Permanent Representative of Egypt to the United Nations. The same award was also given to Ibrahim Mahmoud Ibrahim ElAraby of Egypt, who Chairs the Egypt-Japan Business Council (JBC), the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce (FEDCOC), and the Cairo Chamber of Commerce.

President of the International Shotokan Karate Federation in Lebanon, Fadi Aoun, received the Order of the Rising Sun, Silver Rays for his contributions to promoting Karate in Lebanon and friendly relations between Japan and Lebanon. 

The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star was given to both Hussein Hazzaa Majali former Minister of Interior of Jordan, and Aliou Ibra Ba former Ambassador of Mauritania to Japan. 

From the UAE, Yousef bin Omeir Al Muhairi, former Chief Executive Officer at Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, received the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with a Neck Ribbon for his contributions in the field of energy supply to Japan.

The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, was given to Mohamed Mzoughi Sidi Bou Said of Tunisia for his contributions in  promoting friendship between Japan and Tunisia through sports. He is also the President of the Tunisian National Paralympic Committee.

Among the honorees from the Middle East, Seyyed Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s former Ambassador to Japan, and former Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs, received the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star. Aziz Çengel of Turkey, a Member of the Turkey-Japan Business Council, received the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette.

Honored foreign dignitaries included former U.S. Ambassador to Japan John Roos. He was awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun.

Among the Japanese figures recognized, Makiko Tanaka, 78, Japan’s first female foreign minister and daughter of former Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka, will receive the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun. 

According to the government, the decorations will be given to the honorees at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on May 10.