Swedish Ambassador Stefan Noreen Ambassador (right) congratulates Chairman Yohei Sasakawa

King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden authorized the awarding of his country’s Royal Order of the Polar Star to Mr.Yohei Sasakawa, Chairman of the Nippon Foundation, and the award ceremony was conducted at the Swedish Ambassador’s residence in Tokyo on 1 July. The medal and accompanying insignia were presented to him by Ambassador Stefan Noreen.

Royal Order of the Polar Star, Commander, 1st Class

The award, Royal Order of the Polar Star, Commander, 1st Class, was made in recognition of the many years that The Nippon Foundation has generously supported cooperative programs and exchanges between Japan and Nordic countries, including Sweden.

The award is mainly awarded to foreigners and members of the Swedish royal family. It is given to visiting prime ministers and senior ministers during Swedish state visits. It is meant as a recognition of civic merit, for science, literary, learned and useful works, and for new and beneficial institutions".

The Scandinavia-Japan Sasakawa Foundation, which includes Mr Sasakawa as a board member, has provided more than 200 million Swedish Kronor (approximately 21 million Euros) to Japanese and Nordic citizens for their joint projects in the fields of youth exchange, education, research and cultural projects.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Scandinavia Japan Sasakawa Foundation, which also carries out cooperative projects with other Scandinavian countries – Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland. Over the past 25 years the Foundation has sponsored or cooperated with over 5,000 projects that included student and scholar exchanges and commercial programs.

Students at Sweden’s Uppsala University have received scholarships from the Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship Fund (SYLFF), and the Foundation vigorously supports the International Maritime University in Malmo, which educates up and coming young maritime students from developed and developing countries.

Mr Sasakawa wears the Royal Order of the Polar Star, Commander, 1st Class, after his investment ceremony at the Embassy of Sweden in Tokyo.

At Mr Sasakawa’s award ceremony the close ties between the royal families of Sweden and Japan were mentioned, including the attendance by the Japanese Crown Prince at Swedish Princess Victoria’s wedding on 19 June this year.

Mr Sasakawa, who has attended several graduation ceremonies at the International Maritime University in Malmo, said at his award ceremony that he is dedicated to continuing to promote bilateral friendship between Sweden and Japan