2017 Autumn Conferment of Decorations on Foreign Nationals
2017/11/3
The Rt. Hon. the Lord Hague of Richmond
The Government of Japan bestowed the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun upon The Rt. Hon. the Lord Hague of Richmond, former leader of the Conservative Party, and Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs from 2010 to 2014, in recognition of his invaluable contribution to strengthening and developing relations between Japan and the United Kingdom.
During his time in public office, Lord Hague made various contributions towards the promotion of the bilateral relationship of Japan and the United Kingdom. While Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, one of Lord Hague’s first contributions to the strengthening of the two countries’ relations was to make a major foreign policy speech during his visit to Japan in July 2010. In the speech, Lord Hague depicted Japan as the UK’s “closest partner in Asia.” Mentioning that one day the two countries would work alongside each other as permanent members, Lord Hague vocalised the UK’s support for Japan’s permanent membership to the UN Security Council. During his time as Foreign Secretary, Lord Hague made a particular contribution to bilateral relations in the area of security and defence cooperation. Setting up the UK-Japan Strategic Dialogue, of which the first meeting took place in London in October 2012, Lord Hague contributed to the creation of an important international platform for discussion on regional topics affecting Asia, the Middle East, and African development. Since its launch, the Strategic Dialogue meetings have been held regularly between Japan and the United Kingdom with the session in Tokyo in July 2017 marking the sixth dialogue.
Amongst the many contributions made by The Rt. Hon. the Lord Hague of Richmond are also the visits he made to Japan during his time as Secretary of State for Wales. During his time in office, Lord Hague travelled numerous times to Japan in an active effort to attract Japanese investment to Wales. Having a strong commitment to the local community, Lord Hague endeavoured to further strengthen not only overarching relations between Japan and the United Kingdom, but also to Japan-Wales relations. And it is thanks to his endeavours as Secretary of State for Wales that the closer ties that he worked at creating, are now thriving in the United Kingdom.
The Government of Japan highly appreciates the invaluable contribution The Rt. Hon. the Lord Hague of Richmond has made over the years. Lord Hague therefore greatly deserves to be honoured for his outstanding contribution to Japan-UK relations.
During his time in public office, Lord Hague made various contributions towards the promotion of the bilateral relationship of Japan and the United Kingdom. While Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, one of Lord Hague’s first contributions to the strengthening of the two countries’ relations was to make a major foreign policy speech during his visit to Japan in July 2010. In the speech, Lord Hague depicted Japan as the UK’s “closest partner in Asia.” Mentioning that one day the two countries would work alongside each other as permanent members, Lord Hague vocalised the UK’s support for Japan’s permanent membership to the UN Security Council. During his time as Foreign Secretary, Lord Hague made a particular contribution to bilateral relations in the area of security and defence cooperation. Setting up the UK-Japan Strategic Dialogue, of which the first meeting took place in London in October 2012, Lord Hague contributed to the creation of an important international platform for discussion on regional topics affecting Asia, the Middle East, and African development. Since its launch, the Strategic Dialogue meetings have been held regularly between Japan and the United Kingdom with the session in Tokyo in July 2017 marking the sixth dialogue.
Amongst the many contributions made by The Rt. Hon. the Lord Hague of Richmond are also the visits he made to Japan during his time as Secretary of State for Wales. During his time in office, Lord Hague travelled numerous times to Japan in an active effort to attract Japanese investment to Wales. Having a strong commitment to the local community, Lord Hague endeavoured to further strengthen not only overarching relations between Japan and the United Kingdom, but also to Japan-Wales relations. And it is thanks to his endeavours as Secretary of State for Wales that the closer ties that he worked at creating, are now thriving in the United Kingdom.
The Government of Japan highly appreciates the invaluable contribution The Rt. Hon. the Lord Hague of Richmond has made over the years. Lord Hague therefore greatly deserves to be honoured for his outstanding contribution to Japan-UK relations.
Professor Peter Kornicki
The Government of Japan has decided to confer the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon on Dr Peter Francis Kornicki, Emeritus Professor of Japanese Studies at the University of Cambridge, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the promotion of Japanese Studies in the UK and thus to deeper mutual understanding between Japan and the United Kingdom.
Professor Kornicki is one of the leading scholars of Japanese Studies in the UK. Following his graduation from the University of Oxford in 1972, he studied at Tokyo University of Education, a forerunner of the University of Tsukuba, for a year as a Japanese Government Scholar before earning a D.Phil. (PhD) in 19th century Japanese literature in 1979 at the University of Oxford. Since 1985 he has lectured in Japanese Studies at the University of Cambridge, while also serving as Head of the Department of East Asian Studies from 2012 to 2014 and Deputy Warden of Robinson College from 2008 to 2016. He is currently an Emeritus Professor of Japanese Studies at Cambridge.
For over 30 years, Professor Kornicki has served as a lecturer, reader and then professor in Japanese Studies at the University of Cambridge, making that institution one of the core universities for the subject not only in the UK but in Europe as well. At the same time he has promoted the understanding of the Japanese language, culture and society. His interests cover literacy in Japan and China as well as in Vietnam and Korea, for in all these societies Chinese ideograms had a major role to play in the written languages in the past. The main focus of his studies has been the role of books in society from earlier times up to the Meiji period, whether involving texts from the Chinese classics, published books or manuscripts. He is particularly renowned for his research on book culture in the Edo period.
In 1988 Professor Kornicki launched a project to compile a catalogue of early Japanese books in Europe, resulting in the publication in 1991 of Early Japanese Books in Cambridge University Library: A Catalogue of the Aston, Satow and von Siebold Collections. That work has been further expanded and, since 2011, has been published online as Union Catalogue of Early Japanese Books in Europe. The database currently has over 14,000 items. Today studies of early Japanese books in North America, Europe and other parts of the world are also attracting attention in Japan, where Professor Kornicki’s landmark efforts covering Europe are highly appreciated.
As one of his final contributions to the field before retiring, he edited and wrote the Introduction to the seminal work Japanese Studies in Britain: A Survey and History, published in 2016, which is the first book to chronicle exhaustively the evolution of Japanese Studies in universities as well as related organisations across the UK. His new book, Languages, Scripts, and Chinese texts in East Asia, will soon be published by Oxford University Press.
His achievements as a scholar have been recognised highly not only in the UK but around the world. From 1997 to 2000 he served as President of the European Association for Japanese Studies, which through its successful international conventions and workshops contributed significantly to the development of Japanese Studies in Europe. In 2000 he was elected a Fellow of the British Academy, and in 2013 he was awarded the Yamagata Bantō Prize by Osaka Prefecture.
The Government of Japan recognises his significant contribution described above, and he therefore greatly deserves to be honoured with this decoration.
Professor Kornicki is one of the leading scholars of Japanese Studies in the UK. Following his graduation from the University of Oxford in 1972, he studied at Tokyo University of Education, a forerunner of the University of Tsukuba, for a year as a Japanese Government Scholar before earning a D.Phil. (PhD) in 19th century Japanese literature in 1979 at the University of Oxford. Since 1985 he has lectured in Japanese Studies at the University of Cambridge, while also serving as Head of the Department of East Asian Studies from 2012 to 2014 and Deputy Warden of Robinson College from 2008 to 2016. He is currently an Emeritus Professor of Japanese Studies at Cambridge.
For over 30 years, Professor Kornicki has served as a lecturer, reader and then professor in Japanese Studies at the University of Cambridge, making that institution one of the core universities for the subject not only in the UK but in Europe as well. At the same time he has promoted the understanding of the Japanese language, culture and society. His interests cover literacy in Japan and China as well as in Vietnam and Korea, for in all these societies Chinese ideograms had a major role to play in the written languages in the past. The main focus of his studies has been the role of books in society from earlier times up to the Meiji period, whether involving texts from the Chinese classics, published books or manuscripts. He is particularly renowned for his research on book culture in the Edo period.
In 1988 Professor Kornicki launched a project to compile a catalogue of early Japanese books in Europe, resulting in the publication in 1991 of Early Japanese Books in Cambridge University Library: A Catalogue of the Aston, Satow and von Siebold Collections. That work has been further expanded and, since 2011, has been published online as Union Catalogue of Early Japanese Books in Europe. The database currently has over 14,000 items. Today studies of early Japanese books in North America, Europe and other parts of the world are also attracting attention in Japan, where Professor Kornicki’s landmark efforts covering Europe are highly appreciated.
As one of his final contributions to the field before retiring, he edited and wrote the Introduction to the seminal work Japanese Studies in Britain: A Survey and History, published in 2016, which is the first book to chronicle exhaustively the evolution of Japanese Studies in universities as well as related organisations across the UK. His new book, Languages, Scripts, and Chinese texts in East Asia, will soon be published by Oxford University Press.
His achievements as a scholar have been recognised highly not only in the UK but around the world. From 1997 to 2000 he served as President of the European Association for Japanese Studies, which through its successful international conventions and workshops contributed significantly to the development of Japanese Studies in Europe. In 2000 he was elected a Fellow of the British Academy, and in 2013 he was awarded the Yamagata Bantō Prize by Osaka Prefecture.
The Government of Japan recognises his significant contribution described above, and he therefore greatly deserves to be honoured with this decoration.
Mr Robert Ketchell
The Government of Japan bestowed the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, upon Mr Robert Ketchell, Chairman of the Japanese Garden Society, in recognition of his significant contribution to introducing, preserving and restoring Japanese gardens, and thereby helping to enable more British people to experience Japanese gardens.
Mr Ketchell learned Japanese garden design in the UK and Japan. He also deepened his knowledge and experience as a garden apprentice in Japan.
Since then, Mr Ketchell has continued his dedicated passion to Japanese gardens, and he served as Chairman of the Japanese Garden Society from 1996 to 2003 and from 2016 onwards.
He took part in the design, construction and maintenance of a number of Japanese gardens in the UK as the Chairman of the Japanese Garden Society and there are now over 200 Japanese gardens designed or constructed by him in the UK, US, France and Norway.
Mr Ketchell has given many lectures and is committed to spread the experience and attractiveness of Japanese gardens. He has written exhaustively, contributing many articles to the Japanese Garden Society’s publication over 24 years and has also published books.
The Government of Japan highly appreciates the significant contribution Mr Robert Ketchell has made throughout his career. Mr Robert Ketchell therefore greatly deserves to be honoured for his outstanding contribution to Japan-UK relations.
Mr Ketchell learned Japanese garden design in the UK and Japan. He also deepened his knowledge and experience as a garden apprentice in Japan.
Since then, Mr Ketchell has continued his dedicated passion to Japanese gardens, and he served as Chairman of the Japanese Garden Society from 1996 to 2003 and from 2016 onwards.
He took part in the design, construction and maintenance of a number of Japanese gardens in the UK as the Chairman of the Japanese Garden Society and there are now over 200 Japanese gardens designed or constructed by him in the UK, US, France and Norway.
Mr Ketchell has given many lectures and is committed to spread the experience and attractiveness of Japanese gardens. He has written exhaustively, contributing many articles to the Japanese Garden Society’s publication over 24 years and has also published books.
The Government of Japan highly appreciates the significant contribution Mr Robert Ketchell has made throughout his career. Mr Robert Ketchell therefore greatly deserves to be honoured for his outstanding contribution to Japan-UK relations.
Dr David W. Hughes
The Government of Japan has decided to confer the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette on Dr David W. Hughes, former Head of Department of Music, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London and former Chairman of the Centre of Music Studies, SOAS, University of London, in recognition of his significant contribution to promoting cultural exchange and mutual understanding between Japan and the United Kingdom.
Dr David Hughes has played a significant role in promoting understanding of traditional Japanese music, particularly folk music, in the UK. He has organised over 200 performances featuring visiting practitioners from Japan and has set up three groups in the UK that are at the forefront of teaching and performing Japanese music, alongside his significant academic achievements relating to increasing understanding of traditional Japanese folk music in the UK.
From 1987 until his retirement in 2008, Dr Hughes taught music at SOAS, where he is now a Research Associate of the Department of Music and the Japan Research Centre. Throughout his extensive career, Dr Hughes has published a wealth of literature in Japanese and English on traditional Japanese folk music. Some of his most notable publications are Traditional folk song in modern Japan: sources, sentiment and society and The Ashgate research companion to Japanese music, the latter of which he co-edited. Traditional folk song in modern Japan: sources, sentiment and society is arguably Dr Hughes’ most significant contribution to the study and understanding of traditional Japanese folk music. It marks the culmination of his 30-year academic career specialising in this subject and his 10 years of living in Japan studying the art form locally and formally.
Alongside his academic contributions, Dr Hughes has been a key figure in promoting Japanese traditional art forms to the wider public in the UK. He founded three groups which continue to this day: the SOAS Min’yo Group, the London Okinawa Sanshinkai and the SOAS Noh Group (which has subsequently become part of the University of London Noh Society). These groups successfully contributed to iconic key events including the 1991 Japan Festival and Japan 2001, as well as to Japan Matsuri in recent years. They not only give the public in the UK a unique opportunity to learn and perform a wide variety of Japanese arts but also make them more accessible by demonstrating them extensively around the country. In 2011 Dr Hughes received the annual Japan Society Award for “outstanding contributions to Anglo-Japanese relations and understanding” for his role in making traditional Japanese music better known among people in the UK.
Alongside these activities, he has also personally facilitated or contributed to numerous performances by Japanese folk musicians in the UK. At these events he often acted as an interpreter, translator or commentator so that audiences in the UK could come to understand the social context from within which the pieces had been created. It is no exaggeration to say that many people in the UK owe their exposure to Japanese music or performance art directly to Dr Hughes.
In light of these significant contributions to furthering the appreciation of Japanese folk songs and performance art in the UK, Dr Hughes well deserves to be honoured for his exemplary contribution to mutual understanding and the wider UK-Japan relationship.
Dr David Hughes has played a significant role in promoting understanding of traditional Japanese music, particularly folk music, in the UK. He has organised over 200 performances featuring visiting practitioners from Japan and has set up three groups in the UK that are at the forefront of teaching and performing Japanese music, alongside his significant academic achievements relating to increasing understanding of traditional Japanese folk music in the UK.
From 1987 until his retirement in 2008, Dr Hughes taught music at SOAS, where he is now a Research Associate of the Department of Music and the Japan Research Centre. Throughout his extensive career, Dr Hughes has published a wealth of literature in Japanese and English on traditional Japanese folk music. Some of his most notable publications are Traditional folk song in modern Japan: sources, sentiment and society and The Ashgate research companion to Japanese music, the latter of which he co-edited. Traditional folk song in modern Japan: sources, sentiment and society is arguably Dr Hughes’ most significant contribution to the study and understanding of traditional Japanese folk music. It marks the culmination of his 30-year academic career specialising in this subject and his 10 years of living in Japan studying the art form locally and formally.
Alongside his academic contributions, Dr Hughes has been a key figure in promoting Japanese traditional art forms to the wider public in the UK. He founded three groups which continue to this day: the SOAS Min’yo Group, the London Okinawa Sanshinkai and the SOAS Noh Group (which has subsequently become part of the University of London Noh Society). These groups successfully contributed to iconic key events including the 1991 Japan Festival and Japan 2001, as well as to Japan Matsuri in recent years. They not only give the public in the UK a unique opportunity to learn and perform a wide variety of Japanese arts but also make them more accessible by demonstrating them extensively around the country. In 2011 Dr Hughes received the annual Japan Society Award for “outstanding contributions to Anglo-Japanese relations and understanding” for his role in making traditional Japanese music better known among people in the UK.
Alongside these activities, he has also personally facilitated or contributed to numerous performances by Japanese folk musicians in the UK. At these events he often acted as an interpreter, translator or commentator so that audiences in the UK could come to understand the social context from within which the pieces had been created. It is no exaggeration to say that many people in the UK owe their exposure to Japanese music or performance art directly to Dr Hughes.
In light of these significant contributions to furthering the appreciation of Japanese folk songs and performance art in the UK, Dr Hughes well deserves to be honoured for his exemplary contribution to mutual understanding and the wider UK-Japan relationship.