Tokyo: Order of the Serbian flag 2nd Class awarded to Yasushi Akashi

Ambassador Kovač stated that Serbia wished to convey its genuine gratitude and respect for the committed efforts of Yasushi Akashi, in his capacity as the Special Representative for former Yugoslavia of the Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, She said that Mr. Akashi had indebted both Japan and the international community with his relentless multi-decade humanitarian and peace-making efforts, as the only citizen of Japan who had twice served as UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative.

Noting that the International Day of Neutrality had been marked a few days before, Ambassador Kovač emphasised that the key role of the United Nations was to ensure the conditions and the platform for peace negotiations, and to implement preventive diplomacy. This was, in her words, the special role of Yasushi Akashi, who had the difficult mission to communicate with the warring factions in Bosnia and Herzegovina during his 1994-1995 mandate, and that, in the performance of his duties, he remained true to the letter of his mission and the UN mandate.

She added that today, a quarter of the century later, six republics of the former Yugoslavia, as sovereign countries, were fostering neighbourly and peaceful relations, striving to overcome their turbulent past, unresolved issues and conflicting views, and that Akashi had undoubtedly contributed to this kind of cooperation and understanding.

Ambassador Kovač concluded that, in the year which marked the 140th anniversary of the bilateral relations between Serbia and Japan, Yasushi Akashi would be remembered as one of the most renowned Japanese people who had contributed to the development and deepening of the friendship between our two nations and our two countries.

After the medal award ceremony, a reception was held, where guests had an opportunity to try Serbian wines and delicacies.

This was followed by the anthems of Japan and Serbia, performed by Hisako Yoshikawa (flute) and Shunji Saegusa (double bass). During the reception, they performed the Serbian song “Tamo daleko”, the Japanese traditional song “The bamboo leaves rustle” (Tanabata Song) with lyrics translated into Serbian, and a special musical composition that Yoshikawa dedicated to Serbia.

Guests included President of the Japan-Serbia Parliamentary League of Friendship Ichiro Aisawa, Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Japan Siniša Berjan, Minato City Mayor Masaaki Takei, President of Serbia–Japan Friendship Tadashi Nagai, members of the management of the Serbia–Japan Friendship, former Special Representatives of the Secretary-General, former ambassadors of Japan to Serbia and other world countries, representatives of the Japan International Cooperation Agency, members of the academic community, journalists and friends of the Embassy.