On 29 April 2014, the Government of Japan announced the 2014 Spring Conferment of Decorations on Foreign Nationals. The Decorations are conferred on those individuals or groups who have made outstanding contributions towards friendship and mutual understanding between Japan and their own countries.
1. Mr. Roger Duncan Godsiff MP
The Japanese Government bestowed the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star, upon Mr. Roger Godsiff, Chair of the British-Japanese Parliamentary Group and Member of Parliament for Birmingham, Hall Green, in recognition of his significant contribution to promoting parliamentary exchanges between Japan and the United Kingdom and for supporting Japanese business in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Godsiff has chaired the British-Japanese Parliamentary Group for more than fifteen years. The Group has held many meetings with its counterpart organisation in Japan and with individual Japanese parliamentarians. During these meetings, both Japanese and British parliamentarians have been able to deepen their mutual understanding in areas such as politics, public policy, economics, education, and other social issues. Many Japanese parliamentarians have met Mr. Godsiff and gained a lot of knowledge and invaluable advice through these meetings.
Mr. Godsiff has made great contributions to help his colleagues in the UK Parliament improve the understanding of Japan’s science technology and culture through the BJPG’s activities. The activities have included introductory events on Japanese sake and whiskies as well as sushi. The BJPG has provided Japanese business with a number of opportunities to deepen their understanding of the UK Parliament and to network with British parliamentarians.
The Government of Japan highly appreciates the significant contribution Mr. Godsiff has made throughout his career. Mr. Godsiff therefore greatly deserves to be honoured for his outstanding service to Japan-UK relations.
2. Sir John Beddington, CMG, FRS
The Japanese Government bestowed the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon upon Sir John Beddington, Senior Adviser to the Oxford Martin School and Professor of Natural Resources Management, University of Oxford, and the Former Government Chief Scientific Advisor and Head of the Government Office for Science, in recognition of his significant contribution to strengthening the cooperation between the United Kingdom and Japan in the area of Science and Technology.
Sir John played a significant role in advising the UK Government not to evacuate the British Embassy in Tokyo or UK nationals in Japan, after the tragic earthquake and tsunami and its subsequent effect on TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. The advice that he gave during the disaster was very important to reassure not only the British citizens in Japan but also the Japanese people and rest of the world, and also helped the Japanese Government gain public confidence regarding its response to and basic policy on the Fukushima Daiichi NPS accidents. We, the Japanese government and the Japanese people, recognise and sincerely appreciate his support when we were dealing with the crisis.
He has made significant contributions to strengthen the cooperation between Japan and the UK in the area of science and technology for many years, and his contributions to Japan in the area of science and technology have improved the overall bilateral relations between our countries. He headed the UK delegation to the UK-Japan Joint Committee on Cooperation in Science and Technology, which takes place every 2 years in London or Tokyo, as the Government Chief Scientific Advisor (GCSA). He co-chaired the Committee with the Ambassador for Science and Technology Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.
Sir John has regularly attended the Science and Technology in Society (STS) forum, which was inaugurated in 2004 and holds an annual meeting in October every year in Japan. He has participated in all sessions of the Forum, including chairing, making a speech and contributing to sessions. In addition to this, he received several invitations from the Japanese Institutions, including JST (Japan Science and Technology Agency), CRDS (Center for Research and Development Strategy), and National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, to give a lecture on the relationship between policy and science in the area of energy, environment and disaster mitigation.
He also has made significant contributions, even after retiring as Former Government Chief Scientific Advisor in 2013. Since April 2013, Sir John has been the Senior Adviser to the Oxford Martin School and Professor of Natural Resources Management, University of Oxford, contributing to the improvement of academic exchange and scientific cooperation between Japan and the UK. He has welcomed a number of Japanese delegations, including the delegation from RU11, which is the leading research universities consortium in Japan, Dr. Yuko Harayama, a member of Council for Science and Technology Policy, which is the key council chaired by the Prime Minister to coordinate policies for science and technology in Japan, and Professor Akihiko Tanaka, President of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Sir John gave the delegation advice regarding how to conduct policies for science and technology and how to organise an advisory team in the government.
The Government of Japan highly appreciates the significant contribution Sir John has made throughout his career. Sir John therefore greatly deserves to be honoured for his outstanding contribution to Japan-UK relations.
3. Professor Janet Hunter
The Japanese Government bestowed the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon upon Ms Janet Hunter, Saji Professor of LSE, in recognition of her significant contribution to deepening and developing Japanese Studies and promoting mutual understanding between Japan and the United Kingdom.
Professor Hunter has served on the board of the British Association for Japanese Studies for a number of years, and has contributed by promoting not only Japanese studies in the United Kingdom, but also by promoting understanding of Japan at a number of academic societies and study groups. She has also played a significant role in the development and promotion of Japanese studies outside of her specific field, including serving as Chair and Deputy Director of The Suntory and Toyota International Centres for Economics and Related Disciplines (STICERD).
Professor Hunter has now been teaching for 40 years on the subject of Japanese Economic and Social History, and is currently a Professor at the prestigious London School of Economics. She has succeeded in creating greater interest in Japan-related matters, as well as providing specialist guidance to students. Her work and research have also been widely published. Further, as a leading voice on Japanese Economic History, through her active involvement in events and seminars, Professor Hunter has continued to have an impact on a wide variety of people from a number of countries and regions, including the United Kingdom and Europe. Her outstanding achievements are also recognised by many, as can be seen from invitations extended for her to attend seminars across the world.
Away from her specialist field, Professor Hunter has played a significant role in promoting understanding of Japan, and the Japanese language. In addition to her work on the British Association for Japanese Studies, she is also a member of the European Association for Japanese Studies, the Association of Asian Studies (US), the Japan Society of London, and many more. Professor Hunter has also been invited as a visiting professor to numerous academic institutions, where she has continued her work to promote academic and intellectual exchange in the field of Japanese economic and social history. She also offers her cooperation for work requested by the Embassy of Japan in the United Kingdom.
The Government of Japan highly appreciates the significant contribution Professor Hunter has made throughout her professional life. Professor Hunter therefore well deserves to be honoured for her outstanding contribution to Japan-UK relations.
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