Embassy of Japan
Press Release
August 12, 2016
Foreign Minister’s Commendations for FY 2016
Dr. Sheila A. Smith
Senior Fellow for Japan Studies, Council on Foreign Relations
On July 13, 2016 (Japan Time), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan announced the recipients of Foreign Minister’s Commendations for FY 2016. Dr. Sheila A. Smith is among this year’s foreign recipients. She receives the Commendations in recognition of her contributions to the Promotion of mutual understanding between Japan and the U.S.A.
Dr. Sheila A. Smith leads research at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) on Japan’s policy towards China and on U.S.-Japan relations, and cultivates public understanding of Japan through a variety of activities and on social media. Moreover, Dr. Smith has made a significant contribution to the enhancement of people-to-people exchange between the U.S. and Japan; Dr. Smith serves as a member of the advisory committee for the U.S.-Japan Network for the Future program of the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation and as vice chair of the U.S. advisors to the U.S. - Japan Conference on Cultural and Educational Exchange (CULCON). Dr. Smith has spent time at some of Japan’s leading research universities, including Keio University where she conducted research on Japan’s relations with China from 2007-2008 with support from the Abe Fellowship. Earlier in her career, she was a researcher at the Japan Institute of International Affairs, the Research Institute for Peace and Security, the University of Tokyo and the University of the Ryukyus, contributing to the development of policy research in Japan.
Every year, the Foreign Minister’s Commendations are awarded to individuals and groups with outstanding achievements in international fields, in order to acknowledge their contributions to the promotion of friendship between Japan and other countries and areas. The Commendations also aim to promote the understanding and support of the Japanese public for the activities of the recipients.
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