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The University of Western Australia’s Deputy Vice Chancellor (Community and Engagement) Professor Kent Anderson has been awarded a Japanese Foreign Minister’s commendation for exceptional service in promoting a mutual understanding between Japan and Australia.
An international lawyer who specialises in comparing Asian legal systems and who started his academic career as Associate Professor at Hokkaido University Law School in Japan, Professor Anderson was recognised for his promotion of Japanese language education in Australia.

The Consul-General of Japan in Perth, Mr Masanobu Yoshii, said that Professor Anderson’s contribution to Japanese studies in Australia, particularly in the area of Japanese law, had led to a “fundamentally deeper level of mutual understanding” between Australia and Japan.

The Commendations are awarded to individuals and groups who have made outstanding achievements in the international field, acknowledging their contributions to the promotion of friendship between Australia and Japan. This year 116 individuals and 39 groups around the globe were recipients.

Before joining UWA Professor Anderson was Pro Vice Chancellor (International) at The University of Adelaide and prior to that Foundational Director of the School of Culture, History and Language at The Australian National University.

While at ANU, Professor Anderson coached two successive teams of Australian law students to victory in the Intercollegiate Negotiation and Arbitration Competition held in Japan, conducted in Japanese, beating teams from universities such as Kyoto University and Tokyo University.

In congratulating Professor Anderson on his award UWA Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Johnson said it was recognition of his “tireless advocacy for Japanese and other foreign language education”.

“The Commendation is also further evidence of the strong role that education has to play in the rich cultural relationship between Western Australia and Japan,” Professor Johnson said.

Caption: UWA’s Professor Kent Anderson with Japan’s Consul General in Perth, Mr Masanobu Yoshii (Photo courtesy of Consulate-General of Japan).

Media references

David Stacey (UWA Media and Public Relations Manager) (+61 8) 6488 3229 / (+61 4) 32 637 716