Embassy of Japan
Press Release
May 21, 2019
2019 Spring Conferment of Decoration
Secretary Ashton B. Carter
On May 21, 2019 (Japan Time), the Government of Japan announced the foreign recipients of the 2019 Spring Imperial Decorations. Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton B. Carter is among this year’s foreign recipients and, in recognition of his contributions towards strengthening the relationship between Japan and the United States of America in security and defense areas, he will receive the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun.
- DECORATION: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun
- SERVICE: Contributed to strengthening the relationship between Japan and the United States on national defense
- NAME: Ashton B. Carter
- MAJOR TITLES:
- Former U.S. Secretary of Defense
- Director of the Belfer Center for Science & International Affairs at Harvard University
- ADDRESS (NATIONALITY): Massachusetts (United States of America)
SUMMARY OF CONTRIBUTIONS
Former Secretary Ashton B. Carter served as the 25th Secretary of Defense of the United States from 2015 to 2017. As Secretary of Defense, he played an important role in strengthening the Japan-U.S. relationship. He demonstrated a strong leadership to establish the new Guidelines of Japan-U.S. Defense Cooperation in 2015 to renew the previous Guidelines in 1997. In addition, he has made outstanding contributions to enhancing the Japan-U.S. defense Alliance through such dialogues as Japan-U.S. Defense Ministers’ Meeting and Japan-U.S. Security Consultative Committee (2+2).
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