2024 Commendations by the Japanese Ambassador to the US

Commendations by the Japanese Ambassador to the US

On November 1, 2024, Ambassador Shigeo Yamada will present the Ambassador’s Commendation to six individuals and four groups in recognition of their contributions to fostering friendly relations and mutual understanding between Japan and the United States over the years.

The awardees are as follows.

[Individuals]

Maki Onuki, Dancer, The Washington Ballet

Kimberly Blankenbeker, Former Foreign Affairs Specialist, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce

Jeffrey Jones, Former Senior Policy Advisor, Foreign Agriculture Service, United States Department of Agriculture

Kota Takayama, Associate Professor and Program Director in the Master of Social Work Program, Gallaudet University

Pamela Fields, Deputy Secretary-General, The U.S.-Japan Conference on Cultural and Educational Interchange (CULCON)

Dr. Michael J. Grady, Internalist and Geriatrician

[Groups]

Ikebana International Washington, D.C. Chapter Number 1

The Japanese Language Education Advocacy and Resource Network (J-LEARN)

The George Washington University, Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures Japanese Learning Inspired Vision and Engagement (J.LIVE) Talk

Randolph-Macon College, Department of Asian Studies

• Maki Onuki, Dancer, The Washington Ballet
  As the first Japanese dancer to perform lead roles at the Washington Ballet, she has performed leading roles in numerous productions and contributed to promoting cultural exchange and fostering friendship between Japan and the United States for many years.
• Kimberly Blankenbeker, Former Foreign Affairs Specialist, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce
  For many years, as the principal officer in charge of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) at the Department of Commerce, she promoted mutual understanding with Japan, a major fishing nation in the ICCAT. Ms. Blankenbeker contributed to the promotion of resource management of bluefin tuna, which is important for the stable operation of Japanese fishing vessels and in deterring illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.
• Jeffrey Jones, Former Senior Policy Advisor, Foreign Agriculture Service, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
  For many years, Mr. Jones was responsible for Japan at the USDA and helped promote understanding of Japan in the agricultural sector within the U.S. government. He also worked with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representatives on the TPP negotiations and the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement negotiations and contributed to the conclusion of both agreements.
• Kota Takayama, Associate Professor and Program Director in the Master of Social Work Program, Gallaudet University
  As an associate professor at Gallaudet University, Dr. Kota Takayama has contributed to the promotion of exchange and mutual understanding between the Deaf communities in Japan and the U.S., including the establishment of the Disaster and Emergency Planning program and student exchanges between Gallaudet University and Tsukuba University of Technology in Japan.
• Pamela Fields, Deputy Secretary-General, The U.S.-Japan Conference on Cultural and Educational Interchange (CULCON)
  Ms. Pamela Fields has served as the Deputy Secretary-General for CULCON for more than 30 years, providing administrative support for several CULCON plenary sessions and contributing to the promotion of cultural, educational, and intellectual exchange between the U.S. and Japan through her extensive personal networks.
• Dr. Michael J. Grady, Internalist and Geriatrician
  For many years, he has been involved in the health checkups of Embassy local staff and has devoted himself to health management as an attending physician. He has also contributed to the activities of the Embassy by responding flexibly to various requests from the Embassy.
• Ikebana International Washington, D.C. Chapter Number 1
  Since its founding in 1956, members from various Ikebana schools have been working with people of many different nationalities based on the motto “Friendship through Flowers.” Ikebana International’s activities have contributed to mutual understanding and friendship between Japan and the United States through the introduction of Ikebana and Japanese culture to the people of the United States.
• The Japanese Language Education Advocacy and Resource Network (J-LEARN)
  With the decline in the number of Japanese language education institutions in the DMV area, J-LEARN has conducted advocacy activities to emphasize the importance of Japanese language education and contributed support to elementary schools that offer “immersion education.” Additionally, through the organization and management of the “Junior Japan Bowl,” a competition where elementary and middle school students across the U.S. test their knowledge of Japanese language and culture, it has helped raise interest in Japanese language education among young people on a national scale.
• The George Washington University, Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures Japanese Learning Inspired Vision and Engagement (J.LIVE) Talk
  Through the establishment of the J.LIVE Talk, a nationwide Japanese presentation contest launched in 2015, the George Washington University Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures has contributed to identifying and nurturing the next generation of leaders with advanced Japanese language and communication skills.
• Randolph-Macon College, Department of Asian Studies
  With the support of organizations such as the Japan Foundation and the U.S.-Japan Council’s TOMODACHI Initiative, the Randolph-Macon College Department of Asian Studies has contributed to promoting people-to-people exchanges between Japan and the U.S., as well as the promotion of Japanese language education, by organizing study tours to Japan and hosting students from Japan.