site.btaJapanese Business Federation Chairman Masakazu Tokura Awarded Golden Laurel Branch Badge of Honour

Bulgarian Ambassador to Japan Marieta Arabadzhieva presented Masakazu Tokura, the Chairman of Japanese Business Federation Keidanren and Sumitomo Chemical Corporation's Board, with the Foreign Ministry's Golden Laurel Branch Badge of Honour, the Bulgarian diplomatic mission in Japan said on Facebook. The ceremony took place on October 25 at the Bulgarian Ambassador's Residence in Tokyo. 

Tokura was awarded for his contribution to strengthening bilateral relations, friendship, and cooperation, particularly for supporting the cultural dialogue between the two countries through the hosting of the Plovdiv European Capital of Culture 2019 initiative.

The Bulgarian Embassy noted that the award is also on the occasion of the triple anniversary of Bulgarian-Japanese relations in 2024. This year marks three anniversaries in bilateral relations: 115 years since the first official contacts, 85 years since the establishment and 65 years since the restoration of diplomatic relations.

During the awarding ceremony, Arabadzhieva outlined Tokura’s merits for strengthening the friendly relations and partnerships between Bulgaria and Japan and expressed her hope that, "building on a solid foundation, the cultural exchange between the two countries will continue to develop and build in areas such as economy, science, technology and education."

In his speech, Tokura said that there is a growing need for culture and arts that can cross the borders of languages and countries. He also shared his admiration for Bulgaria's nature and rich historical heritage that he experienced during his visit to Bulgaria in September 2019.

Special guests of the event were the members of Tokorozawa Feni Children’s Choir, who performed a song dedicated to Plovdiv in Bulgarian. The choir was on tour in Plovdiv in September 2019, and in 2024 their Bulgarian host, the Plovdiv Children's Kitka Choir, made a return visit with concerts in Japan.