Brunei : HM bestows titles on 3 Japanese

Top news in <The Brunei Times> :   HM bestows titles on 3 Japanese

RABIATUL KAMIT BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN Monday, July 16, 2012

BILATERAL relations between Brunei and Japan reached another historic milestone yesterday when three prominent Japanese figures were bestowed honorary medals during an investiture ceremony at Istana Nurul Iman.

Leading parliamentary members Watanabe Kozo and Nikai Toshihiro as well as Mitsubishi Corporation President and CEO Ken Kobayashi are the first Japanese nationals to receive the prestigious awards from His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam.

In conjunction with His Majesty’s 66th birthday celebrations, the three Japanese recipients were conferred the Darjah Paduka Seri Laila Jasa Yang Amat Bersaja Darjah Kedua (DSLJ) Second Class, which carries the title of Dato Seri Laila Jasa.

His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam (R) presenting the Most Distinguished Order of Paduka Seri Laila Jasa (DSLJ) – 2nd Class, to Watanabe (2nd R), Nikai (3rd L), Ken (2nd L) and Tan Sri Dato' Sri Haji Arshad Ayob (L-hidden), during the Investiture ceremony at Istana Nurul Iman. Picture: BT/Saifulizam

Watanabe and Nikai, who are also president and secretary general of the Brunei-Japan Parliamentarians’ League for Promotion of Friendship respectively, have both held prominent positions in Japanese politics, such as Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry.

“As representatives of the Parliamentarians’ League, they have contributed to the promotion of economic ties as well as friendly bilateral relations between Japan and Brunei,” said the Embassy of Japan in a statement.

Kobayashi, meanwhile, spearheaded the Tenaga Suria Brunei Photovoltaic (PV) Power Generation Demonstration Project (TSB), a solar plant in Seria, as part of its corporate social responsibility since the company first joined Brunei in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) sector 40 years ago.

The TSB is touted as the first mega solar power installation in Southeast Asia, tasked to identify the most suitable PV technology for the local weather conditions.

Capable of producing 1.2 megawatts and feeding clean electricity into the national grid, the solar plant in Belait District is intended to support sustainability of Brunei oil and gas resources. The solar plant was officially handed over to the Brunei government on October 27, 2010.

In a previous interview, Kobayashi conveyed that Mitsubishi Corporation believes that “the TSB project is an important step for Brunei as the country’s first introduction of renewable energy to the national electricity grid system”.

As a symbol of support to the Sultanate’s effort in promoting renewable energy, Kobayashi also presented 100 solar panels to His Majesty on May 26, 2011, during the inauguration ceremony of the TSB project.

The 100 solar panels were used in the 65 eco-friendly houses built under the ongoing pilot project to upgrade living standards in Kampong Ayer as part of the Ministry of Development’s “green building concept” for future housing development projects.

Japanese Ambassador Noriki Hirose told The Brunei Times yesterday that the conferment of the honorary medals to the three Japanese recipients is “an honour for the people of Japan” and signifies the long-standing close relations between Brunei and Japan.

“They are very important people who are engaged in the decision-making of the energy policy. The (investiture) is a great and honourable position for the Japanese,” he said, adding that he is grateful to His Majesty and the Brunei Government. <The Brunei Times>

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