Japanese Government honours Mrs Mary-Grace Browning MBE
2016/6/28
On 15 June 2016, Ambassador Koji Tsuruoka bestowed upon Mrs Mary-Grace Browning MBE the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays, which had been awarded by the Government of Japan in recognition of her significant contribution over many years to developing understanding of Japan amongst young British people and to strengthening friendship between Japan and the UK.
Ambassador Tsuruoka described Mrs Browning’s many and varied achievements. These included both her role as a Japanese teacher at Bury St Edmunds County Upper School and as a volunteer who had conducted exchange programmes between Japanese and British students and who had contributed to the projects run with Dr John Pritchard whereby the grandchildren of former PoWs are given opportunities to visit Japan. Through her support for such schemes, thousands of young British and Japanese had developed close friendships through spending time in each other’s country.
In concluding his remarks, Ambassador Tsuruoka declared that the Government of Japan and the Japanese people sincerely appreciated the invaluable contribution of Mrs Browning as well as the endeavours of the many other people involved in the reconciliation process, which he was confident would deepen still further the flourishing friendship and cooperation between our two countries and peoples.
Ambassador Tsuruoka described Mrs Browning’s many and varied achievements. These included both her role as a Japanese teacher at Bury St Edmunds County Upper School and as a volunteer who had conducted exchange programmes between Japanese and British students and who had contributed to the projects run with Dr John Pritchard whereby the grandchildren of former PoWs are given opportunities to visit Japan. Through her support for such schemes, thousands of young British and Japanese had developed close friendships through spending time in each other’s country. In concluding his remarks, Ambassador Tsuruoka declared that the Government of Japan and the Japanese people sincerely appreciated the invaluable contribution of Mrs Browning as well as the endeavours of the many other people involved in the reconciliation process, which he was confident would deepen still further the flourishing friendship and cooperation between our two countries and peoples.
The Embassy of Japan