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Lee Kuan Yew to be awarded with top Japanese honour

SINGAPORE — The Japanese government yesterday (Feb 2) announced that it has posthumously conferred the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew with one of the nation’s top honours, the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers.

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe signs a condolences book for the late Lee Kuan Yew in front of a memorial photo of Lee at the Singapore Embasssy in Tokyo, March 24, 2015. Photo: Reuters

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe signs a condolences book for the late Lee Kuan Yew in front of a memorial photo of Lee at the Singapore Embasssy in Tokyo, March 24, 2015. Photo: Reuters

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SINGAPORE — The Japanese government yesterday (Feb 2) announced that it has posthumously conferred the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew with one of the nation’s top honours, the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers.

The late Mr Lee, Singapore’s founding Prime Minister, is the 19th foreigner to receive the honour. The order recognises the late Mr Lee’s contributions to “strengthening relations and promoting friendship between Japan and Singapore”, according to the Embassy of Japan in Singapore’s website.

The conferment of the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers will be backdated to March 23 last year, the date of Mr Lee’s death.

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson said Singapore is “deeply honoured” by the Japanese government’s decision to confer the honour to the late Mr Lee.

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