Professor Shihab Faris decorated with Order of the Rising Sun

RIYADH — Japanese Ambassador Norihiro Okuda held a recent ceremony to confer the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette upon professor Shihab Faris, professor of Japanese language program at King Saud University. Okuda said, “Since 1994, Professor Faris has devoted himself to foundation and consolidation of the one and only Japanese language program which confers an academic degree in Japanese in GCC states – Japanese Language Program, Department of Modern Languages, College of Language and Translation, King Saud University. The graduates of the program have spread out to both public and private sectors such as governmental organizations and Japanese enterprises, which sheds light on Professor Faris’s outstanding contribution in deepening Japan-Saudi relationship.” Okuda added, “Regarding Japanese language education in particular, his contribution is immense; He has published numerous works on Japanese in Arabic including the masterpiece, “Japanese for the Arabs”, the first textbook of Japanese language in Arabic published in 2000 and reprinted in 2009. Now the textbook has become an indispensable help for Japanese learners not only in Saudi Arabia but also in Egypt, UAE, Qatar, Lebanon and other Arab countries.” The Japanese government announced recipients of the 2015 Autumn Imperial Decorations. Among the 89 foreign recipients is Professor Shihab Faris, the General Coordinator of Chinese, Persian, Hebrew and Japanese Language, Department of Modern Languages, College of Language and Translation, King Saud University, who was given the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, in recognition of his significant contribution to promoting development of Japanese language education and research, and mutual understanding between Japan and the Middle East, especially in Saudi Arabia. The decoration on Professor Faris comes at a remarkable time for Japan-Saudi relations, as this year marks the 60th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Saudi Arabia.