PM to receive Japan’s highest award

TOKYO: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad will be conferred “The Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers” by the Emperor of Japan during his three-day working visit to the “Land of the Rising Sun” beginning Monday (Nov 5).

Malaysian Ambassador to Japan Datuk Ahmad Izlan Idris said the conferment of Japan’s highest award by Emperor Akihito which will take place at the Imperial Palace here Tuesday follows the huge contributions by the Prime Minister in strengthening bilateral ties.

“Traditionally this award is given to foreign leaders like prime ministers and statesmen from within and outside Japan,” he told Malaysian journalists here Sunday.

Dr Mahathir is the third leader from Asia to be conferred the prestigious award after former Singapore prime Minister the late Lee Kuan Yew and former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh.

“The Prime Minister and wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali are also scheduled to attend a luncheon with the Emperor and Empress of Japan on Wednesday at the Imperial Palace,” he said.

This will be Dr Mahathir’s third visit to Japan after becoming Malaysia’s prime minister for the second time following the country’s 14th General Election on May 9. The first was in June and the second in August.

Ahmad Izlan said that after receiving the award on the second day of his visit, the Prime Minister and his delegation were scheduled to have a meeting with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe at the latter’s office.

“Both prime ministers will discuss bilateral ties and regional and international issues of common interest,” he said.

He said that on the second day, Dr Mahathir is also scheduled to attend the 36th Japan-Malaysia Economic Association (Jameca)-MalaysiaJapan Economic Association (Majeca) Meeting and Malaysian Business Forum here.

Before that, on the first day of his visit, the Prime Minister will be conferred an honorary doctorate by Tsukuba Universiti of Tokyo, which is the highest recognition by the university for his contributions to advance international exchange in the field of research and education.

On the third day, Dr Mahathir will deliver a keynote address at Toyo University here and interact with Japanese youths, especially students of the university.

“The Prime Minister is the honorary advisor of the Asia Public-Private Partnership of the university,” he said.

During the three-day working visit, the Prime Minister will also be accompanied by Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah, Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik and International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Ignatius Darell Leiking.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry in a statement said Japan is a key trading partner of Malaysia and it is Malaysia’s fourth largest trading partner.

“For Japan, Malaysia is its eleventh largest trading partner in the world, and fourth among ASEAN countries after Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia,” it said.

The ministry also said the Prime Minister’s visit to the two universities is part of Malaysia’s effort to attract Japanese universities to set up their overseas branches in Malaysia. - Bernama