According to reports from Japanese media, a total of 3,990 individuals will be honored in Japan’s 2025 spring honors, which will include notable figures such as former Prime Minister Naoto Kan and former House of Representatives Speaker Tadamori Oshima.
Apart from Japanese citizens, 107 foreign nationals from 45 different countries and regions will also be recognized. Among them are Laos Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, ex-U.S. Ambassador to Japan William Hagerty, and Thomas Bach, the President of the International Olympic Committee, who will receive the prestigious Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun.
The honors, including grand cordon and the next level gold and silver star awards, will be presented by Emperor Naruhito of Japan and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba during a ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on May 9, as stated by Japanese media.
Former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew received the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun in 1967.
He was later posthumously honored in 2016 with the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers.
Other notable past recipients of the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun include former Singapore ambassador to Japan Lim Chin Beng in 2004, Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong in 2011, and former Deputy Prime Minister S Jayakumar in 2012.
In 2026, both Singapore and Japan will celebrate the 60th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.
Earlier this month, Mr. Lee remarked on Japan’s “useful stabilizing role” in the broader Asia-Pacific region during the launch of the book, The Land of the Rising Sun and the Lion City: The Story of Japan and Singapore.
He expressed that Singapore appreciates Japan’s contributions to the region, highlighting that Japan has been a “steadfast friend and partner” for over fifty years.
