Speech
by Consul General Hiroshi Yamaguchi at the Emperor's Award Conferment Ceremony
for Dr. Steven Heine, Director, Institute for Asian Studies, Florida
International University
9/7/07
Distinguished
Guests,
Ladies
and Gentlemen,
I
have the distinct honor to host the Conferment Ceremony in honor of Dr. Steven
Heine, Director of the
Institute for
Asian Studies
at
Florida
International
University
.
Dr. Heine has greatly contributed to the advancement of the study and
promotion of Japanese culture. He
has dedicated most of his life to the study in the field of
Japan
’s Religion,
Zen, with enormous enthusiasm for the quest of the truth of religion, attitude
similar to the Buddhist preacher of 13th century Dogen who preached
“Shikantaza,” which means meditation by solely sitting to reach
illumination.
In
addition to his pioneering achievements on the academic study of Zen and Dogen
not only in
Florida
, but also in
the entire
U.S.
, the recipient
has also developed the
Institute for Asian Studies
of FIU into
such a high-level where the Institute is now regarded as a center of Japanese
studies in
Florida
.
Through his relentless efforts, Dr. Heine has strengthened the
Institute, acquired more budget, faculty and researchers, and contributed to
the creation of a Masters level course on Japanese studies and the expansion
of the Japanese language teaching at the university.
Thanks to his efforts, the number of students of Japanese studies has
expanded nine times since the Institute’s foundation.
Dr.
Heine also contributed to the better understanding between American and
Japanese peoples through various events, such as the Anime Conference, Japan
Language Day, Performance of Japanese Drumming, Japanese Speech Contest, and
Japanese concerts.
Ladies
and Gentlemen, in recognition of Dr. Heine’s outstanding contributions to
the advancement of the study of Japanese culture and the promotion of
understanding of Japan, the Government of Japan decided to confer The Order of
the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette. Former
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Mr. Taro Aso, now holding the most
important key-role position in the LDP, expressed his congratulations on the
Conferment and best wishes to Dr. Heine for his good health and happiness.
I
am honored to read the unofficial translation of the Certificate of Decoration
as follows:
“The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette
Is hereby conferred upon
Dr. STEVEN HEINE,
Citizen of the
United States of America
by His Majesty the Emperor of
Japan
.
in Witness thereof,
the Seal of State of
Japan
has been affixed to this present
at the
Imperial
Palace
.
The 29th day, the fourth month, the nineteenth
year of Heisei (2007)”
Jointly
signed by Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister and by Yuji Fukushita, Director-General
of Decoration Bureau, Cabinet Office of Japan.
On
behalf of His Majesty the Emperor of Japan, I am pleased to convey this
decoration to Dr. Steven Heine. Congratulations.
