Zubiri receives Japan’s highest honor for foreign nationals

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri has expressed deep gratitude to the government of Japan for conferring on him the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun — the highest given to a foreign national ~saying he is “humbly accepting” the award as both an honor and a challenge to work even harder to strengthen Philippines-Japan relations.

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Zubiri received the award conferred on him by Emperor Naruhito at a ceremony on Nov. 11 at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Japan.

“I accept the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun from the Government of Japan with deep gratitude and humility, and I take it as a recognition of the deep friendship between our two nations more than the efforts of one individual,” Zubiri said.