On April 29th (Japan Time), the Government of Japan announced the recipients of its Spring 2008 Decorations. From Southern California, the following three people will be awarded.
| Decoration |
Outline of merit |
Main Career |
Name
Age |
Nationality
Address |
| The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star |
Contributed to the social welfare of the Nikkei people, the preservation and passing on of Japanese cultural heritage, and the promotion of friendship between the United States and Japan |
Honorary Chairman, Japan-America Society of Southern California Centennial Celebration Committee
Former Chairman, U.S. Kenwood Americas Corporation
Chairman and President, Aratani Foundation
Member of Board of Governors, Japanese American National Museum |
Mr. George Aratani
90 years of age |
California,
Hollywood |
| The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon |
Contributed to the friendship between the United States and Japan |
Former Chairman, Japan America Society of Southern California
Former President and Chief Executive Officer, Sunkist Growers, Inc.
Former Chairman, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives
Member of Board of Trustees, Woodbury University |
Mr. Russell Lowell Hanlin
75 years of age |
California,
Pasadena |
| The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays |
Contributed to the Japanese language education of Nikkei children |
Former Chairman, Japanese Language School Unified System
Former President, Japanese Community Pioneer Center
Former President, Japanese Prefectural Association of Southern California
|
Mr. Yoshinori Kawaguchi
73 years of age |
California,
Monterey Park |
* Nikkei – those of Japanese descent
The recipients' meritorious service towards Japan is as follows:
 Mr. George Aratani - The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star
George Aratani was born in Gardena, California. Upon the outbreak of war between the U.S. and Japan during World War II and after having lost most of his fortune, Mr. Aratani was interned at the Gila River Relocation Center in Arizona. Upon release from camp he moved to Los Angeles, established a trading company, and garnered great success as a businessman, founding dinnerware manufacturer Mikasa Corporation and audio equipment company Kenwood.
From childhood he was influenced by his father's great commitment to social service and upon achieving a great deal of success in his business endeavors, he took an interest in social activism. In his active promotion of and support for youth sports, he fostered strong personal connections in the Southern California Nikkei community. Due to his surpassing contributions to the establishment and management of Keiro Nursing Home and his great efforts to aid in fundraising for the Nikkei Retirement Home Construction Fund, in Spring 1988 he received the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Rosette from the Japanese Government.
Thereafter, Mr. Aratani has taken the profits he has made from his U.S.-Japan business endeavors, and over a span of over thirty years to the present in which he stands ninety years old, in a true embodiment of the word "selfless," has earnestly donated funds and consistently inspired people through his pioneering work. To Nikkei firms and the Nikkei community Mr. Aratani has promulgated the necessity of Nikkei organizations, the importance of organizational undertakings, and furthermore, has enthusiastically explicated how these actions contribute to U.S.-Japan relations. He has convinced associated individuals and organizations to lend their support, and as a result, many necessary donations have been made and numerous undertakings for the promotion of U.S.-Japan friendship and the handing down of Japanese culture have come to be realized.
Mr. Aratani has served with a great deal of distinction as a Member of the Board of Trustees and Governors of the Japanese American National Museum, which was founded with the mission of preserving Japanese American culture and history, the only one of its kind on a national scale. Currently there are approximately 100,000 annual visitors to the Museum from throughout the world, and in the present time sixty years after the end of World War II, it has developed to become the source of transmitting to the world the history of sufferings of the Japanese American people, such as the anti-Japanese movement and wartime internment.
Additionally, he serves as a Member of the Board of Trustees and Senior Advisor of the National Japanese American Memorial Foundation, which oversaw the construction of a memorial commemorating the Japanese American experience during World War II, constructed in central Washington, D.C. just a few minutes from the U.S. Capitol.
Mr. Aratani serves the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center, which over a span of close to 30 years has widely introduced Japanese traditions along with contemporary fine arts and performing arts to the American public. As Advisor, he has contributed efforts to fundraising for construction of the center through to its operation today, contributing greatly to the promulgation, passing on, and development of Japanese culture.
He has also assisted in promoting the activities of the Center for Japanese Studies, as well as the Asian American Studies Center, both at UCLA, and through granting scholarships, has assisted with study abroad opportunities in Japan for UCLA students.
In addition, he established the Aratani Foundation, and as Chairman and President, continues his many contributions to the passing on and development of Japanese culture, U.S.-Japan cultural interchange, and the development of the Nikkei community.
 Mr. Russell Lowell Hanlin - The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon
Russell Lowell Hanlin was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. At three years of age, he moved with his parents to California.
Mr. Hanlin became a member of the Board of Directors of the Japan-America Society of Southern California in 1978, and in addition to contributing to the nurturing of juniors, he contributed to the progress of cultural exchange and mutual understanding between the United States and Japan through the Society's activities. From 1996 to 1998 he served as Chairman of the Japan-America Society, conducted lectures, and while increasing interest in Japan, worked to expand the Society's activities. Furthermore, during the lengthy sluggishness of the Japanese economy and the difficult circumstances of the Japan-America Society at the time, he contributed greatly to rebuilding the Society's financial situation. In addition, Mr. Hanlin currently serves as Honorary Chairman of the Society, working with great commitment in planning the activities of the Society and guiding junior members as an advisor.
After graduating from Los Angeles Manual Arts High School, Mr. Hanlin became employed at Sunkist Corporation (formerly known as California Fruit Growers Exchange). He proceeded to play a role at the Sunkist Corporation in international affairs and public relations. In 1964, after Japan opened its market to lemon imports, he garnered great success as the primary representative for lemon sales to Japan, and in 1978 became President of Sunkist Corporation. In 1998 he became President Emeritus and until retirement took on the important task of serving in these concurrent positions. During that time, he aided in efforts to lift a quarantine on Japanese tangerine exports to the United States and as an expert on the Japanese citrus fruit industry and a businessman that understood Japan very well, helped the United States gain a deeper understanding of Japan.
Furthermore, from 1980s, he held key posts such as on the Export Council of the President of the United States and Chairman of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, contributing to the expansion and stability of international agricultural trade.
 Mr. Yoshinori Kawaguchi - The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays
Yoshinori Kawaguchi was born in Yamagawa of Ibusuki City, in Kagoshima Prefecture. In May 1956, he moved to the United States and became involved in the gardening and real estate industries.
Over a period of more than 30 years, he has taken on important posts such as Chairman of the Japanese Language School Unified System, and rather than school management, has assisted in areas such as school expansion and maintenance and the passing on of Japanese language and culture to Nikkei children, contributing tremendously to the propagation of Japanese language. Further, through donating educational funds he helped establish a program geared towards high school graduates, and aided in introducing subjects in addition to the Japanese language such as Japanese history, social studies, economics, and religion. While on the Japanese Language School Unified System's "Japan Speech Training Trip" to Japan, he represented the school as Chairman during an audience at Higashimiya Imperial Palace with his Highness the Crown Prince (currently his Majesty the Emperor) and was bestown words of gratitude.
As President of the Japanese Prefectural Association of Southern California, he promoted the "revitalization of Japanese language education" with a sense of utmost priority. His initiatives included placing bilingual Japanese-English advertisements promoting Japanese language education in newspapers and magazines, demonstrating great commitment to handing down the Japanese language to future generations.
As President of the Japanese Community Pioneer Center, he started a car ride service for the elderly in which he himself volunteered, contributing to the welfare of Nikkei seniors.
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