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Japan Today
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Japan Today
Bach welcomes future Japan bid once issues such as corruption are addressed
olympics Outgoing International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said Thursday that Japan is "very much welcome" to bid for another Summer or Winter Games, once issues such as corruption surrounding the staging of past events are addressed. Sapporo dropped its bid for the 2030 Winter Games in October 2023 following bid-rigging and bribery scandals linked to the 2020 Tokyo Games, which were postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the northern city subsequently unable to convince a skeptical public of the bid's merits. "A future hosting bid is welcome if we can be sure on the IOC side that these Japanese business practices, this kind of corruption, is over and has been addressed," Bach, who will become the IOC's honorary president for life in June, said in an interview with Kyodo News. "We understand what happened there within Japan because of the business practices of some Japanese business also hope that this leads to a clarification and adaptation of Japanese business practices." Bach said Japan remains a major presence in the Olympic movement, noting its continued role as host of various international tournaments across sports, including the Asian Games next year, as well as the success of its athletes, who won its overseas record of 20 gold medals and 45 overall at the Paris Games last summer. Bach, who has led the IOC since 2013, said he believes all parties involved recognized that his decisions during a tumultuous period, marked by doping scandals, a pandemic and international conflicts, were made with good intentions. "I could help the Olympic movement to overcome so many challenges and where I could make it possible for the athletes to have the Olympic Games," he said. "I was in the position you need to be as an IOC president." "Sometimes I was a little bit tough or too tough on one or the other because I absolutely wanted to get there and was demanding a lot...(but) they always realized that it was done in good intention and that it was done to accomplish the IOC mission." Welcoming the idea of Japan bidding to host the new Olympic Esports Games, Bach said the highlight of his tenure came after the closing ceremony in the French capital, when he realized the Olympic Agenda had been fulfilled by delivering a "sustainable, urban, young, joyous" games. Bach, who received the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun at Tokyo's Imperial Palace on Friday, voiced strong support for his successor, Kirstie Coventry of Zimbabwe, who is poised to become the first female and first African IOC president following her election in March. "I know that she has this very clear compass of the Olympic values," Bach said. "She has been elected because she has the professional and the human qualities to be a very good president of the IOC and lead the Olympic movement in an even better future. "Therefore, I'm really very at ease and very, very confident." © KYODO
08-05-2025
- Politics
Ex-U.S. Defense Official Nye, Expert on Japan, Dies at 88
News from Japan World May 8, 2025 11:03 (JST) Washington, May 7 (Jiji Press)--Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Joseph Nye, who was emeritus professor at Harvard University and a Japan expert, died on Tuesday at age 88, the university said Wednesday. In the 1990s, Nye proposed the "soft power" concept for boosting international influence by attracting other countries with unique values, culture and foreign policies. Nye was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star by the Japanese government in 2014 for his contribution to the Japan-U.S. alliance. After graduating from Princeton University in 1958, he obtained his doctorate in political science from Harvard University in 1964. He served as dean of Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government between 1995 and 2004. Nye occupied the post of deputy undersecretary of state for security assistance, science and technology from 1977 to 1979, and then assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs between 1994 and 1995 under the administration of President Bill Clinton. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
Rakyat Post
05-05-2025
- Business
- Rakyat Post
Jeffrey Cheah Conferred Order Of The Rising Sun By Emperor Of Japan
Subscribe to our FREE Sunway Group founder and chairman Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah has been conferred the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon, by His Majesty the Emperor of Japan. The government of Japan announced the award of this prestigious honour during the 2025 Spring Imperial Conferment in recognition of Cheah's services in promoting academic exchanges and strengthening economic relations between the peoples of Malaysia and Japan. READ MORE: I am deeply honoured and humbled by the conferment of this prestigious award by His Majesty the Emperor of Japan, recognising not only my personal efforts and accomplishments but also those of my Sunway and Jeffrey Cheah Foundation teams. Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah Cheah also paid tribute to Japan's resilience, innovation and discipline in the post–World War II era, where it emerged as a global leader across multiple business industries. It is these very qualities that have inspired me and continue to guide the work we do at Sunway and the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation. Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah Since its inception in 2010, the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation, building upon the legacy of the Sunway Education Trust Fund established in 1997, has awarded more than RM892 million in scholarships and grants as of 2024, advancing its mission to make quality education accessible and affordable to as many deserving students as possible. Sunway's collaboration with Japanese partners includes its joint venture through Hitachi Sunway Information Systems, delivering advanced IT solutions across ASEAN, while working together on energy management and cybersecurity initiatives. In addition, Sunway works with the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) in offering its vibrant and integrated Sunway City Kuala Lumpur township as a testbed for Japanese entrepreneurs and start-ups to tap into the Southeast Asian market. On the education front, Sunway University has established active collaborative partnerships with more than 20 Japanese universities, with eight more in the pipeline, focusing on research collaboration, technological innovation and student exchange programmes. These student exchange programmes build upon and further strengthen the people-to-people connection which has been fortified through years of academic exchange, where tens of thousands of Malaysians have studied, trained, and worked in Japan and vice-versa. In 2024, Cheah became the first Malaysian to be conferred the Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire by His Majesty King Charles III of the United Kingdom, which carries the title 'Sir,' for his extraordinary achievements and services to education, healthcare and philanthropy, which include forging high-level links with a number of UK institutions, including University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, University of Lancaster, the Royal College of Physicians, the Chevening Scheme, ACCA as well as ICAEW. READ MORE: In 2008, Cheah was appointed by Australia's Prime Minister an Officer of the Order of Australia – one of the country's most prestigious and highest recognitions conferred to a non-citizen, in recognition of his contribution in building bilateral relations between Malaysia and Australia through education. Share your thoughts with us via TRP's . Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.
The Star
01-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
An advocate of M'sia-Japan ties
Experienced entrepreneur: Cheah has become one of few Malaysians to be awarded the prestigious award by the Japanese government. PETALING JAYA: Sunway Group founder and chairman Tan Sri Sir Dr Jeffrey Cheah KBE AO has become one of the few Malaysians to be awarded the prestigious Japanese decoration of honour, the Order of the Rising Sun, by the Japanese government. Cheah was specifically awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon, in recognition of his contributions towards promoting academic exchange and improving economic relations between Japan and Malaysia. 'As the founder and chancellor of Sunway University, Tan Sri Cheah has focused on collaboration with Japan and has contributed to the promotion of exchanges between Japan and Malaysia. 'This includes the field of education and research by concluding agreements with numerous Japanese universities and other institutions. Also, as the founder and chairman of Sunway Group, Tan Sri Cheah is a highly entrepreneurial individual whose Sunway Group collaborates with Japan External Trade Organisation (Jetro) to contribute to the advancement of Japanese start-up companies in Malaysia. 'The Embassy of Japan would like to extend its sincere congratulations to Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah for receiving this decoration,' the Japanese Embassy in Malaysia wrote in a Facebook post on Tuesday. Cheah, who is also a philanthropist, was named an honorary Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire by King Charles III in 2023. The award came with the title 'Sir'. A write-up titled 'Man Behind the Brand' in the Sunway Stories website noted that Cheah had never forgotten his roots as he had always upheld his Hakka heritage. In fact, he is the honorary lifetime president of the Malaysian Hakka Association for seven years from 1997.
The Star
01-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Sunway founder on learning from the best
PETALING JAYA: Sunway Group founder and chairman Tan Sri Sir Dr. Jeffrey Cheah KBE AO says receiving Japan's Order of the Rising Sun award is not just a personal honour but a recognition of the dedication as well as commitment of the Sunway Group and Jeffrey Cheah Foundation teams. 'This honour is far greater than a personal accolade; it is a tribute to the invaluable contributions of the many partners and stakeholders affiliated with Sunway Group and the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation. 'Their steadfast dedication to fostering deeper bilateral ties, mutual understanding, and enduring friendship between the people of Malaysia and Japan is what makes this recognition truly meaningful,' Cheah told StarBiz. The 80-year-old entrepreneur is one of the few Malaysians to be awarded the prestigious decoration of honour by the Japanese government. In a Facebook post on Tuesday, the Japan embassy in Malaysia said Cheah was specifically awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon in recognition of his contributions towards promoting academic exchange and improving economic relations between Japan and Malaysia. 'I am deeply honoured and humbled by the conferment of this prestigious award by His Majesty the Emperor of Japan. 'I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the government of Japan for endorsing my nomination and to His Excellency Noriyuki Shikata, ambassador of Japan to Malaysia, who personally conveyed this news during his courtesy visit to Sunway City Kuala Lumpur yesterday (Tuesday),' Cheah said. He added that Japan has long served as a beacon of resilience, innovation, and discipline – principles that have profoundly shaped both his personal outlook and professional endeavours. 'From rebuilding in the aftermath of World War II to emerging as a global leader across multiple industries, Japan stands as a testament to the transformative power of perseverance and visionary leadership. 'It is these very qualities that have inspired me and continue to guide the work we do at Sunway and the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation,' he said. Cheah added the relationship between Malaysia and Japan is marked by deep mutual respect, cultural appreciation, and long-standing economic ties, as evidenced by Japan's position among Malaysia's top five trading partners. 'I have always believed that to be the best, we must work with the best and learn from the best. Malaysia and Sunway have certainly benefited and learned from the very best that Japan has to offer,' he says. This is the reason why Sunway University has established partnerships with more than 20 Japanese universities. He added that eight more partnerships would be established over the next few months, focusing on research collaboration, student exchange, and technological innovation. 'Sunway University's emergence as a top private university in Asean is enabled through its strategic transboundary partnerships including those with Japanese institutions – supporting its mission as an education-focused, research-intensive and impact-driven university,' he said. For instance, Sunway iLabs and the Japan External Trade Organisation Kuala Lumpur have been working together for more than five years to facilitate the entry of Japanese startups into the South-East Asian market, using Malaysia as a launchpad. 'This partnership has led to the acceleration of a number of startups, and the launch of pilot projects, and significant funding investments for technology localisation and commercialisation across South-East Asia. 'The most recent initiative, the Green Transformation Accelerator Programme, focuses on driving sustainability through innovation in areas such as food security, renewable energy, circular economy and resilient cities,' Cheah said. Further, in collaboration with Japanese companies Aerosense Inc and Funlead Corp, Sunway University is also involved in a research project aimed at mangrove forest conservation and sustainable management. 'This project employs drone technology and artificial intelligence for data acquisition and image analysis to monitor and conserve mangrove ecosystems along the Sarawak River. 'The initiative exemplifies the application of human-machine collaboration for environmental sustainability,' Cheah pointed out.
