Hamilton mail carrier honoured by Japan government with prestigious Order of the Rising Sun award

The Japanese government has awarded Mitchell Akira Kawasaki — a Hamilton mail carrier, judo master and former Olympian — for promoting Japanese culture in Canada, as well as friendship and goodwill between both countries.

According to a Nov. 3 news release from the Consulate-General of Japan in Toronto, the government honoured Kawasaki with The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays decoration in the 2024 Autumn Conferment of Decorations on Foreign Nationals.

CBC Hamilton was unable to reach Kawasaki for comment prior to publication.

Kawasaki is president of the Canadian Japanese Cultural Centre of Hamilton. In July, he told CBC Hamilton about his history as a fighter, which includes competing in Greco-Roman wrestling at the Montreal Olympics in 1976.

Kawasaki coaches judo five days a week and travels internationally to judge the sport. He delivers mail for Canada Post on an on-call basis.

According to Japan's Foreign Affairs Ministry, 87 foreign nationals received recognition in the 2024 Autumn Conferment of Decorations on Foreign Nationals this month. There is also an annual spring conferment.

In an email, Rui Umezawa, chief advisor to the Japanese consul-general, said Kawasaki has displayed leadership with more than a decade of work at the cultural centre, and through his judo club, "developing the skills of countless students, many of whom became black belts."

There are two more Canadians on the award recipients list of foreign nationals:

• A former ambassador to Japan who lives in Ottawa.
• A Burnaby, B.C., resident who worked for the Consulate-General of Japan in Vancouver.