Japan Recognizes 3,987 People in Autumn Honors

Jiji Press

15:15 JST, November 3, 2024

Tokyo3 (Jiji Press)—The Japanese government announced on Sunday a list of 3,987 people recognized for this year’s autumn honors, including Nobuaki Koga, former president of the Japanese Trade Union Confederation, or Rengo, and former Environment Minister Sakihito Ozawa.

Koga, 72, and Ozawa, 70, received the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun.

Koga headed Rengo from 2009 to 2015. During his term, Koga led the labor union movement in Japan as head of the largest support organization for the former Democratic Party of Japan, the ruling party at the time. Ozawa assumed the post of environment minister in then Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama’s cabinet of the DPJ in 2009.

The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star was given to ballet dancer Yoko Morishita, 75.

Since becoming the first Japanese to win the gold medal at the Varna International Ballet Competition, one of the world’s three most prestigious ballet competitions, in 1974, Morishita has been known as a pioneer who paved the way for Japanese ballet dancers to enter the world stage. She is still active as a dancer herself to this day.

In the field of art and culture, the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon was given to manga artist Yoshiharu Tsuge, 87, known for his surrealistic manga works such as “Nejishiki.”

Two people received the grand cordons, 41 the orders with gold and silver star, 328 the orders with gold rays with neck ribbon, 810 the orders with gold rays with rosette, 1,586 the orders with gold and silver rays and 1,220 the orders with silver rays. Of the total recipients, 439 are women.

A total of 87 foreign nationals from 46 countries or regions were selected for autumn honors, including Paul Miki Nakasone, 60, former commander of the U.S. Cyber Command, who received the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun for his contribution to the reinforcement of defense ties between Japan and the United States.

Grand cordon recipients will meet with Japanese Emperor Naruhito on Wednesday.