On 3 November 2014, the Government of Japan announced the 2014 Autumn Conferment of Decorations on Foreign Nationals. The Decorations are conferred or individuals or groups who have made outstanding contributions towards friendship and mutual understanding between Japan and their own countries.
1. The Viscount Trenchard, Vice Chairman of British-Japanese Parliamentary Group
The Government of Japan bestowed the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star to the Viscount Trenchard, in appreciation of the Viscount’s valuable contributions to the strengthening of bilateral relations between Japan and the UK over years.
The Viscount Trenchard, who presently is Vice Chairman of British-Japanese Parliamentary Group (2008- ), contributed to the bilateral relations in his numerous capacities, including Director of Japan Securities Dealers Association (1994-95), Vice-chair of the European Business Community in Japan (1995), Joint Chairman of Japan Society (2000-2004), Managing director of Mizuho International Limited (2007-12), among others.
The Viscount promoted people-to-peole exchange for parliamentarians and business people, as well as arranged many events where Japanese companies talk to MPs, and gave his thoughts to the Japanese government and companies. He also energetically played a leading role in hosting various cultural events in the UK to enable many British people to know the Japanese culture.
2. Mr. Martin Gilbert Barrow, CBE
The Government of Japan bestowed the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon upon Mr. Martin Gilbert Barrow, CBE, in recognition of his significant contribution to promoting Japan as a tourist destination and making Japanese culture widely known in the United Kingdom, both of which have benefitted Japan-UK relations.
Mr. Barrow began his career with Jardine Matheson & Co. Ltd in 1962 and worked in Japan for eight years, holding the position of Managing Director of Jardine Matheson's representative office in Tokyo from 1976 to 1980. He also took the position of Chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan.
Having returned to the United Kingdom In 2001, he has been a core member of Japan’s Visit Japan Campaign Promotion Committee in the UK since 2004. He has taken a lead in the committee’s discussions and made a variety of substantive inputs on tourism policy-making for Japan. Conscious of his dedication to promoting inbound tourism to Japan in the UK, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan appointed Mr. Barrow as Visit Japan Ambassador in the United Kingdom in 2008. Furthermore, in 2009, the Ambassador of Japan in the United Kingdom presented Mr. Barrow with a commendation for his significant contribution in promoting inbound tourism to Japan as well as Japanese culture.
In the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, he visited the Tohoku region on more than one occasion and worked to provide an accurate account of the situation and encourage people in the UK to continue to visit the country. The other roles he has taken on in the promotion of Japan-UK relations include Vice-Chairmanship of the Japan Society in the United Kingdom from 2003 to 2008 and Chairmanship of the Tankokai UK Association (Japanese Tea Ceremony Associaiton) since 2010.
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