In a posthumous conferment, the late founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew has been awarded one of Japan’s top honours for foreign leaders.
The nation’s first prime minister’s legacy grows even further, being the 19th foreigner to receive the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers. Lee joins a prestigious list of recipients that includes celebrated American five-star general Douglas MacArthur and many other political luminaries.
The order recognises Lee’s endeavours to strengthen relations with Japan, and his successful efforts in building a friendship between the two nations, according to various media reports. The conferment itself will be forwarded to March 23, 2016 — the first anniversary of his death.
“We are deeply honoured and appreciate the Japanese Government’s decision to confer the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers to the late first Prime Minister of Singapore Mr Lee Kuan Yew,” said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in response to the award. “This is in recognition of Mr Lee’s contributions to the development of relations between Singapore and Japan over several decades.”
Apropos too, considering it’s SJ50 — 50 years of diplomatic ties between Singapore and Japan.
