The Late Mr. Houghton Freeman, former Vice Chairman of AIG and President of the Freeman Foundation, decorated by Japanese Government>
The Government of Japan will posthumously confer the "Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon" upon the late Mr. Houghton Freeman, who passed away on December 1, 2010, in recognition of his contributions to mutual understanding between the U.S. and Japan, as well as between the U.S. and Asia.
The conferment ceremony will take place on August 8 at the office of the Freeman Foundation in Stowe, Vermont, and Consul General Takeshi Hikihara will present the diploma and decoration to Mrs. Doreen Freeman, widow and Vice President of the foundation, and Mr. Graeme Freeman, President of the Freeman Foundation and son of the late Mr. Freeman.
Houghton Freeman established the Freeman Foundation in 1993 in memory of his father, Mansfield Freeman. Since then, the foundation has been supporting many Japan-related programs and events through friendship organizations and major universities. Also, the foundation has contributed to the preservation of historical heritages in Japan and to the organization of seminars promoting mutual understanding between the two countries.
Mr. Freeman also established a scholarship fund at Wesleyan University in 1994, which has been awarding four-year full-tuition scholarships to students from Japan and other Asian countries. The Freeman Foundation also has exchange programs for Japanese and American high school students. Both programs are managed in cooperation with AIU Insurance (Chartis, Inc.)
Mr. Freeman lived in Japan for 20 years during the postwar era and ran AIG's Japanese division. During that time, he also participated in activities of events run by the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan and contributed to the expansion of US-Japan economic exchanges.
In light of these contributions, the Government of Japan acknowledges the late Mr. Houghton Freeman as an appropriate person to receive the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold rays with Neck Ribbon, and is delighted to announce the decoration.
The Consul General of Japan in Boston, Mr. Takeshi Hikihara said, "I did not have a chance to meet Mr. Freeman in person; however, those knew him, including my predecessors, highly praised his efforts to bridge the two countries and two continents. There are not enough words to express our gratitude for his efforts to support many Japan-related programs, especially the full-scholarship program for Japanese students to study in the U.S. as well as exchange programs for high school students. This Imperial Decoration is an expression of such gratitude from the Japanese Government. I would like to congratulate him and his foundation."
The presentation will take place in the presence of his family, relatives and staff of the foundation.
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