Honour to be bestowed on the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew by Japan: Grand Cordon Of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers

SINGAPORE - Founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew will be awarded one of Japan's top honours for foreign leaders on the first anniversary of his death on March 23.

He will be posthumously conferred the "Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers", Japan's Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said at a press conference held after a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday (Feb 2).

"Mr Lee strived to strengthen relations with Japan and was successful in building a friendship between the two nations," he added.

A spokesman for Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday (Feb 3), in response to media queries, that it is deeply honoured and appreciates the decision.

Said the spokesman: “This is in recognition of Mr Lee’s contributions to the development of relations between Singapore and Japan over several decades.”

- ST