Six Seattle-area individuals and organizations have received Japan’s 2026 Foreign Minister’s Commendations for strengthening ties between Japan and the United States.
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- Patsy Surh O’Connell
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- Toshiko Takenaka
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the honors Sept. 24. Recipients include Asia Pacific Cultural Center founder and President Patsy Surh O’Connell; University of Washington law professor Toshiko Takenaka; Central Washington University professor emerita Makiko Doi; and former Seattle Japanese Language School chairman Michael Joseph Forrester.
Two organizations also received honors: Ikebana International Seattle Chapter, for promoting Japanese flower arranging, and Seattle Kendo Kai, for advancing cultural exchange through martial arts.
The recipients were recognized for work ranging from cultural programming and Japanese-language education to academic exchange, intellectual property law and the promotion of traditional Japanese arts.
Japan awarded the 2026 commendations to 160 individuals and 67 organizations worldwide.
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