8/20/2021
Consulate General of Japan in New York

On August 20th, 2021, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan announced the recipients of the Foreign Minister's Commendations for 2021, which include Mr. Okamoto Toru, President/Principal of the Japanese Children's Society, Inc., and Ms. Noda Michiyo, Executive Director of the Japanese American Association of New York.

The Foreign Minister’s Commendations are awarded to individuals and groups with outstanding achievements in the various fields of international affairs, in order to acknowledge their contributions to the promotion of friendship between Japan and other countries and areas. These commendations also aim to promote the understanding and support of the Japanese public for the activities of the recipients.

Mr. Okamoto and Ms. Noda are being awarded the Foreign Minister’s Commendation for the following contributions:

Mr. Okamoto is the President/Principal of the Japanese Children's Society, Inc. in New York, the only full-time, bilingual (Japanese and English) preschool and elementary school on the east coast established in 1979. While emphasizing instruction in English, this institution provides education in accordance with the national curriculum standards for Japanese kindergarten and elementary schools defined by the Japan Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The school has produced more than 4,000 graduates and also operates Japanese language supplementary schools. Under the guidance of Mr. Okamoto, the Japanese Children’s Society has contributed to the promotion of the education of children who live overseas for many years as a community-based educational institution which responds to diverse educational needs.

Ms. Noda has been working for the Japanese American Association (JAA) of New York for 34 years, and has supported its successive Presidents as Executive Director in the development of JAA’s wide range of community activities. She listens to the voices of Japanese residents and Japanese Americans with compassion, perceives their needs, and organizes various events and activities to address them. She has endeavored to improve the welfare of the Japanese and Japanese Americans, promoting educational and cultural activities in the Greater New York area and bilaterally, and has contributed to the friendship between Japan and the United States. In particular, Ms. Noda played a central role in the establishment of the Committee of Aging Issues in 2005 and the delivery of Japanese lunch boxes to the elderly and frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Consulate General of Japan in New York would like to express its deepest respect to the honorees for the contributions they have made to the Greater New York area.

令和３年８月２０日
在ニューヨーク日本国総領事館

８月２０日、外務省は、令和３年度外務大臣表彰受賞者を発表し、在ニューヨーク日本国総領事館管轄地域では岡本徹・ニューヨーク育英学園理事長／学園長（Mr. Okamoto Toru, President /Principal of Japanese Children's Society, Inc.,）及び野田美知代ニューヨーク日系人会事務局長（Ms. Noda Michiyo, Executive Director of the Japanese American Association of New York）の２個人が受賞しました。

外務大臣表彰は、多くの方々が国際関係の様々な分野で活躍し、我が国と諸外国との友好親善関係の増進に多大な貢献をしている中で、特に顕著な功績のあった個人及び団体について、その功績を称えるとともに、その活動に対する一層の理解と支持を国民各層にお願いすることを目的としています。

岡本氏は、１９７９年に設立された米国東海岸で唯一の全日制幼小一貫教育機関であるニューヨーク育英学園の学園長／理事長として運営を担っています。同学園全日制では英語教育も重視しつつ、文科省の幼稚園教育要領及び小学校学習指導要領に準拠した教育を行い、４，０００名以上の卒園児・卒業生を輩出し、また、日本語補習校等も運営しています。岡本氏の指導の下、同学園は多様化する教育ニーズに応えながら地域に根ざした教育機関として海外子女教育の推進に長年にわたり貢献しています。

野田氏は、３４年にわたりニューヨーク日系人会事務局に勤務し、歴代会長を支え、事務局長として同会の多様な活動を展開するために尽力しました。同人は、在留邦人・日系人の声に熱心に耳を傾け、その時々のニーズをとらえて各種行事や支援活動に反映させ、ニューヨーク近郊における在留邦人、日系人の福祉向上、教育・文化活動の促進に尽力し、日米友好親善に貢献しました。とりわけ、２００５年の高齢者問題協議会設置やコロナ禍での高齢者・フロントワーカーへの日本食弁当配達の実施に中心的役割を果たしました。

在ニューヨーク日本国総領事館は、両氏が当地においてこれまでに果たしてこられた功績に深甚なる敬意を表します。