Petri Receives Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star from Japanese Government
Nov 6, 2014
Washington, D.C.—On November 5, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, U.S. Representative Tom Petri (R-WI) received the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star from the Government of Japan, one of the country’s highest civilian honors.
“The U.S. – Japan alliance anchors stability in one of the most populous regions in the world, and is more important today than ever before,” said Petri. I am deeply honored to receive this recognition of the small part I played over the years in strengthening this vital relationship.”
Petri received the award from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The ceremony was followed by an audience with His Majesty Akihito, the Emperor of Japan.
For over a decade, Petri has been appointed to serve as one of two House Members on the Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission, an independent federal agency, and has been involved in numerous legislative exchange programs with members of the Japanese Diet in Tokyo and in the United States. Petri also regularly meets with Members of the Japanese Diet in his Washington, D.C. office to discuss issues of importance between the two countries. He has been active in the Congressional Study Group on Japan organized by the U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress.
In 2010, Petri hosted Japanese Ambassador to the United States Ichiro Fujisaki to the Sixth District of Wisconsin where he visited Lincoln High School in Manitowoc, Lakeland College, several local businesses, and spoke at the Sheboygan Economics Club. Petri has also visited Kamogawa, Japan, the sister city of Manitowoc, Wisconsin.
The Orders of the Rising Sun were Japan’s first awards, first established in 1875. They feature rays of sunlight radiating from a rising sun. There are six levels of the award, of which the Gold and Silver Star is the second highest. Nominees are recommended for the award by the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs.
In an “unprecedented” occurrence, three U.S. House Members received the award this year. In addition to Congressman Petri, Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI), and Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA) also received the award. The press release below was sent from the Japanese Embassy in the United States late yesterday.
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Embassy of Japan
Press Release
November 5, 2014
Conferral of the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star,
upon Congressman Frank James Sensenbrenner, Congressman Thomas Evert Petri and
Congressman James Adelbert McDermott
On November 3, 2014 (Japan Time), the Government of Japan announced the foreign recipients of the 2014 Autumn Imperial Decorations. Among the 57 foreign recipients are Congressman Frank James Sensenbrenner, Congressman Thomas Evert Petri and Congressman James Adelbert McDermott, all of whom are to receive the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star, and it is unprecedented for 3 members of the U.S. Congress to simultaneously receive this honor. For a long time they have been making contributions to promoting Japan-U.S. legislative exchange, and maintaining and deepening the Japan-U.S. alliance through the promotion of enhanced understanding of Japan in the U.S. Congress.
Recipients
(1) Congressman Frank James Sensenbrenner
- DECORATION: The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star
- SERVICE: Contributed to promoting Japan-U.S. legislative exchange, and maintaining and deepening the Japan-U.S. alliance through the promotion of enhanced understanding of Japan in the U.S. Congress
- NAME (AGE): Frank James Sensenbrenner (71)
- MAJOR TITLES:
- Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
- Former Member of the Wisconsin State Legislature
- Former Co-Chair of the U.S.-Japan Legislative Exchange Program
- ADDRESS (NATIONALITY): 2449 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington DC (USA)
(2) Congressman Thomas Evert Petri
- DECORATION: The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star
- SERVICE: Contributed to promoting Japan-U.S. legislative exchange, and maintaining and deepening the Japan-U.S. alliance through the promotion of enhanced understanding of Japan in the U.S. Congress
- NAME (AGE): Thomas Evert Petri (74)
- MAJOR TITLES:
- Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
- Co-Chair of the U.S.-Japan Legislative Exchange Program
- Former Member of the Wisconsin State Legislature
- Former Co-Chair of the Congressional Study Group on Japan
- ADDRESS (NATIONALITY): 2462 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington DC (USA)
(3) Congressman James Adelbert McDermott
- DECORATION: The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star
- SERVICE: Contributed to promoting Japan-U.S. legislative exchange, and maintaining and deepening the Japan-U.S. alliance through the promotion of enhanced understanding of Japan in the U.S. Congress
- NAME (AGE): James Adelbert McDermott (77)
- MAJOR TITLES:
- Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
- Co-Chair of the U.S.-Japan Legislative Exchange Program
- Chair Emeritus of the Congressional Study Group on Japan
- Former Member of the Washington State Legislature
- ADDRESS (NATIONALITY): 1035 Longworth House Office Building, Washington DC (USA)
Summary of Contributions
(1) Congressman Frank James Sensenbrenner
It has been 34 years since Congressman Sensenbrenner was first elected to the U.S. Congress in 1978. During his term, he served as Chairman of the House Committee on Science from 1997 to 2001 and as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee from 2001 and 2007.
Especially since 1989, Congressman Sensenbrenner has been making a significant contribution to promoting legislative exchange between Japan and the United States, which has been thriving for 25 years, by playing a central role in the U.S.-Japan Legislative Exchange Program. This program is the framework of legislative exchange between the U.S. House of Representatives and the Japanese Diet. As Co-Chair of the exchange program from 1999 to 2006, he hosted the conference in Washington, D.C. every year. Even after retiring as Co-Chair of the exchange program, he has proactively contributed to the exchange framework.
Congressman Sensenbrenner has also been actively participating in the Congressional Study Group on Japan (CSGJ) as a core member since its establishment in 1993. Recently, he acted as a Republican representative in the CSGJ’s first delegation to Japan in February this year. He also contributed to promoting enhanced understanding of Japan in the U.S. Congress as well as Japan-U.S. legislative exchange in the CSGJ’s event in NY in April this year.
(2) Congressman Thomas Evert Petri
After graduating from Harvard University in 1962 and Harvard Law School in 1965, Congressman Petri joined the Peace Corps and volunteered in Somalia from 1966 through 1967. Following the Peace Corps, Congressman Petri worked in the White House, served as a lawyer in Wisconsin, became a member of the Wisconsin State Senate, and was elected as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives for the first time in 1979. Since then, he has been elected 18 times in a row, serving in the U.S. Congress for 36 years. However, in April this year he declared his plans to retire at the end of this term in January 2015.
Especially since 1989, Congressman Petri has been making a significant contribution to promoting legislative exchange between Japan and the United States, which has been thriving for 25 years, by playing a central role in the U.S.-Japan Legislative Exchange Program. This program is the framework of legislative exchange between the U.S. House of Representatives and the Japanese Diet. As Co-Chair of the exchange program since 2007, he has hosted the conference in Washington, D.C. every year.
Congressman Petri has also been actively participating in the Congressional Study Group on Japan (CSGJ) as a core member since its establishment in 1993 and was Co-Chair from 1996 through 1997. Even while not servicing as Co-Chair, he has consistently supported the CSGJ’s activities as an important member for over 20 years.
(3) Congressman James Adelbert McDermott
After graduating from Wheaton College in 1958 and the Abraham Lincoln School of Medicine at the University of Illinois in 1963, Congressman McDermott joined the U.S. Navy. Upon completion of his military service, he served in the Washington State House of Representatives from 1971 to 1972 and the Washington State Senate from 1975 to 1987. Leaving the State Senate, Congressman McDermott then served as a U.S. Foreign Service Medical Officer in Zaire (currently known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo) in 1987 through 1988. In 1989, he became a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Since joining Congress, Congressman McDermott has been making a significant contribution to promoting legislative exchange between Japan and the United States, which has been thriving for 25 years, by playing a central role in the U.S.-Japan Legislative Exchange Program. This program is the framework of legislative exchange between the U.S. House of Representatives and the Japanese Diet. As Co-Chair of the exchange program since 2001, he has hosted the conference in Washington, D.C. every year.
Congressman McDermott has also been actively participating in the Congressional Study Group on Japan (CSGJ) as a core member since its establishment in 1993 and was Co-Chair from 2003 through 2013 and Chair Emeritus since 2013. Playing a big role in laying out a foundation of the CSGJ, he has consistently supported its activities for over 20 years.
