Foreign Minister’s Commendation - Ms Rie Yoshitake
2020/11/11
On 21 October 2020, Ambassador Yasumasa Nagamine hosted a commendation ceremony at his residence where Ms Rie Yoshitake was awarded the Foreign Minister’s Commendation for her contribution to promoting better economic relations and mutual understanding between Japan and the UK through her many years as a sake promoter in the United Kingdom.
Ms Rie Yoshitake has been an expert in strategic PR between the UK and Japan for the last almost 30 years and particularly, in recent years, she has endeavoured to raise the profile of Japanese sake and expand the sake market in the United Kingdom. In 2006, she was appointed as the UK Representative for the non-profit Sake Samurai Association, and in 2007 her efforts culminated with the establishment of a sake division at the world-famous International Wine Challenge competition (IWC). Since then, she has been fully cooperating with the provision and promotion of sake at receptions held at the embassy, at the Japan House as well as other venues.
The promotion of sake requires not only the mere display and tasting opportunity of liquor, but rather further insight into its deeper meaning, understanding of production methods including the intent and thoughts of the maker, and moreover love and knowledge about how to drink and enjoy it, especially in harmony with food. Ms Yoshitake has applied such knowledge and passion for the Japanese sake at various prestigious venues with her fellow sake samurai members, therefore marking another very important achievement in fostering younger generations into the sake PR industry.
At the ceremony, Ambassador Nagamine congratulated Ms Yoshitake on her much-deserved commendation and praised her many achievements in the field of sake promotion abroad. In her speech, Ms Yoshitake conveyed her delight at receiving the award and her gratitude to all those who supported her. She also underlined the honour and importance that such an acknowledgement of her efforts has in encouraging her to continue to lead the spread of Japanese culture and promotion of Japanese sake.
This award ceremony should have taken place much earlier this year, as Ms Yoshitake was awarded the commendation during the first year of Reiwa - in 2019, but due to the outburst of the new coronavirus and its ongoing effects it had to be postponed just like so many other embassy events. We look forward to resuming our onsite reception series and to the continued cooperation with Ms Yoshitake on the sake promotion once the current pandemic is overcome.
Ms Rie Yoshitake has been an expert in strategic PR between the UK and Japan for the last almost 30 years and particularly, in recent years, she has endeavoured to raise the profile of Japanese sake and expand the sake market in the United Kingdom. In 2006, she was appointed as the UK Representative for the non-profit Sake Samurai Association, and in 2007 her efforts culminated with the establishment of a sake division at the world-famous International Wine Challenge competition (IWC). Since then, she has been fully cooperating with the provision and promotion of sake at receptions held at the embassy, at the Japan House as well as other venues.The promotion of sake requires not only the mere display and tasting opportunity of liquor, but rather further insight into its deeper meaning, understanding of production methods including the intent and thoughts of the maker, and moreover love and knowledge about how to drink and enjoy it, especially in harmony with food. Ms Yoshitake has applied such knowledge and passion for the Japanese sake at various prestigious venues with her fellow sake samurai members, therefore marking another very important achievement in fostering younger generations into the sake PR industry.
At the ceremony, Ambassador Nagamine congratulated Ms Yoshitake on her much-deserved commendation and praised her many achievements in the field of sake promotion abroad. In her speech, Ms Yoshitake conveyed her delight at receiving the award and her gratitude to all those who supported her. She also underlined the honour and importance that such an acknowledgement of her efforts has in encouraging her to continue to lead the spread of Japanese culture and promotion of Japanese sake.
This award ceremony should have taken place much earlier this year, as Ms Yoshitake was awarded the commendation during the first year of Reiwa - in 2019, but due to the outburst of the new coronavirus and its ongoing effects it had to be postponed just like so many other embassy events. We look forward to resuming our onsite reception series and to the continued cooperation with Ms Yoshitake on the sake promotion once the current pandemic is overcome.
The Embassy of Japan