TOKYO: Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad was today conferred Japan’s highest award by the country’s ruler, Emperor Akihito.
The conferment of the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers is in recognition of Mahathir’s contributions to strengthening bilateral ties.
The conferment ceremony was held at the Imperial Palace here at 9.45am local time (8.45am Malaysian time).
Mahathir is the third leader from Asia to receive the prestigious award after former Singapore prime minister Lee Kuan Yew and former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh.
He has been on a three-day working visit to Japan since Monday.