Amherst College Professor Emeritus Ray A. Moore to Receive Imperial Decoration
Amherst College Professor Emeritus Ray A. Moore has been selected by the Government of Japan to receive the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon in recognition of his significant contributions to the promotion of educational and academic exchange between Japan and the United States and the furthering of mutual understanding between our countries.
Prof. Moore was the founder of the Associated Kyoto Program (AKP), a study-abroad program in Kyoto for U.S. college students which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Since its establishment in 1972 the AKP has been a major factor in the flourishing of intellectual and people to people exchanges between our countries.
In 1976 Prof. Moore was instrumental in establishing the Five College Center for East Asian Studies, which draws on the joint resources of Amherst College, Smith College, Mount Holyoke College, Hampshire College and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He also served as the Center’s first Director. Through the programs of the Five College Center, Prof. Moore has helped to improve the teaching about Japan and East Asia in the area’s colleges as well as in primary and secondary schools.
Prof. Moore is an accomplished scholar in post-war Japanese history, with a special focus on Japan’s constitution. Among his publications are “The Birth of Japan’s Postwar Constitution” and an 8000-page CD-ROM compendium of original documents translated from the Japanese related to the drafting of Japan’s constitution. He has also published “Partners for Democracy: Crafting the Japanese State under MacArthur” and “Soldier of God: MacArthur’s Attempt to Christianize Japan.” His research has greatly deepened the understanding of post-war Japanese history in American academic circles.
In 2002, Prof. Moore raised funds, including from his own pocket, to create at Amherst College a Japanese-style garden called Yushien or Garden of Friendship. In 2004 the Journal of Japanese Gardening ranked Yushien among the top Japanese gardens in the United States. Prof. Moore has thus contributed to the introduction of Japanese culture in the United States in various ways.
For further information please contact Susan Gill at the Consulate General of Japan in Boston at 617-973-9772 x122 or s.gill@cgjbos.org.