Emperor Naruhito awards medals for 1st time

May 23, 2019

Tokyo--New Japanese Emperor Naruhito conferred decorations on 12 people, including two foreigners, in the first spring medal ceremony in the Reiwa era held at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Thursday.

The recipients included Itsuro Terada, former chief justice of the Supreme Court, Shizuka Kamei, former financial services minister, Keiji Kimura, former president of Mitsubishi Estate Co. <8802> and Katsuhiko Shirai, former president of Waseda University.

Terada, who gave a speech as a representative of the awardees, was given the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers.

Kamei and Kimura were both awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun, and Shirai received the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure

"I am deeply grateful for your many years of hard work serving the country, society and the people," the Emperor told the recipients. Jiji Press