Japan awards the Spring Imperial Decoration of Japan to individuals who have shown notable contributions to strengthening the relationship between Japan and their respective country. On May 2019, Japan announced the list of 142 recipients who will receive the 2019 Spring Imperial Decorations. Among the 142 recipients, former U.S. defense secretaries Chuck Hagel and Ashton Carter, as well as former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, will receive the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun.
Japan Embassy in Addis Ababa shared a statement from the government of Japan expressing gratitude to former Prime Minister Hailemariam for supporting Japan’s position on multilateral issues such as supporting Japan’s contribution to peace and stability in Africa which includes dispatch of personnel to UN peacekeeping operations as well as assisting PKO training centers.
