Foreign Minister’s Commendation - Professor Michael Clarke

On 12 March 2018, Ambassador Koji Tsuruoka awarded the Foreign Minister’s Commendation to Professor Michael Clarke, former Director-General of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), for his contribution to promoting mutual understanding between Japan and the UK.

Professor Clarke was the Director-General of RUSI from 2007 - 2015. During his tenure, Professor Clarke recognized the importance of Japan-UK cooperation in the security and defence area, and advocated such cooperation in the public arena including the cooperation between RUSI and the National Institute of Defence Studies of Japan as well as the foundation of RUSI Japan in 2012 as a research hub in Asia-Pacific Area.

At the ceremony, Ambassador Tsuruoka, congratulated Professor Clarke on his much deserved Foreign Minister’s Commendation, and praised the foresight of Professor Clarke to notice the importance of having strategic military cooperation between Japan and the UK by sharing information, perception and understanding on the international scene. Professor Clarke expressed his honour of receiving the award and his gratitude to the colleagues of RUSI for their contribution. He also reiterated his conviction that Japan is an ally for the UK rather than mere partner referring to the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) 2015. He exhibited the hope of underpinning the growing political relationship with the relationship between think tanks and defence analysts in the two countries.

 

The Embassy of Japan