Japan salutes ‘best friend’ Clark with highest honour

Japan is hailing former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark for forging deep ties between the nations, calling her “one of the best friends Japan could wish for”.

The Japanese Ambassador to New Zealand presented Clark with the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun, at a ceremony in Wellington yesterday. It is the highest award in Japan’s honour system.

Ambassador Toshihisa Takata said the honour was to recognise Clark’s contribution to bringing Japan and New Zealand closer, both when she was Prime Minister and in her time as the administrator of the United Nations Development Programme.

“All throughout these years of unwavering commitment and dedication as a leading official of the New Zealand Government, and UNDP, Ms Clark visited Japan at least 20 times.

“One of the top records for such visits, by such a renowned and highly regarded foreign dignitary.”

Takata said that when Clark was Prime Minister she helped realise several high-level exchanges between the countries, including receiving Japan’s Crown Prince and Crown Princess to New Zealand.

He said the exchanges led to a deeper understanding between the two countries.

“The feeling of being energised and encouraged is common to everyone who comes into contact with Helen Clark, either directly or indirectly,” Takata said. “She’s one of the best friends Japan could wish for.”

Clark is also credited with promoting the relationship between Japan and the UNDP while administrator.

Clark said she was “deeply honoured” to receive the award.

She said her relationship with the country predated being any kind of public figure, as in 1975 she was part of a delegation of young New Zealanders chosen for the Japanese Youth Goodwill Cruise.

She said it sparked a lifetime interest in Japan.

“What I came to appreciate, in my time in public service in New Zealand, was that Japan was such an incredibly important partner for us.”