Japan awards ex-Iranian envoy
Fri, 07 May 2010 15:56:54 GMT
Abdul Rahim Govahi
A former Iranian ambassador to Japan is awarded with a Japanese order of merit for his
efforts to promote cultural ties between the two ancient nations.
Abdul Rahim Govahi travelled to Japan upon a formal invitation from Tokyo officials
on Thursday and was awarded with the Order of the Sacred Treasure on Friday, IRNA
reported.
The award was presented to Govahi by Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama in a ceremony
at the Imperial palace, which was also attended by Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi
Hirano and a number of Japan's cabinet members.
The Iranian diplomat and academician was among the five top foreign researchers who
received the decoration along with 30 Japanese officials and elites.
After the ceremony, Govahi and a number of other decorated researchers met with
Emperor Akihito.
Govahi served as the Islamic Republic's Ambassador to Tokyo in 1360-65. He also
established the Iran-Japan friendship group and chaired the commission for a decade.
Govahi is the third Iranian researcher to receive the Order of the Sacred Treasure from
Japan after Hashem Rajabzadeh in 2009 and Mohammad Naqizadeh in 2008.
Govahi has also written a book on Shinto tradition.
Stop the deportation of Iranian political
activist from Japan to Iran.
We, the undersigned, express our greatest concern over the fate of Jamal Saberi
(Jalal Amanzadeh Nouei) who is currently detained in Yokohama branch of Tokyo
Immigration Bureau and is going to be deported to Iran from Japan. Jamal Saberi
is an active political opponent of the current inhumane regime of Iran and will
face serious persecution if deported to Iran which makes his deportation
illegal under International Law.
We urge the Japanese Immigration Authorities to immediately release Jamal
Saberi and cancel his deportation order. We also urge the UNHCR and Japan’s
ministry of Immigration to recognise his refugee status.
We await your immediate intervention in this life and death situation. We
recognise that the UNHCR and the Japanese government will be held accountable
for Jamal Saberi's life and freedom.