THE Japanese government has conferred the Order of the Rising Sun on retired judge Antonina Oshita Escovilla and Feliciano Torres, chairman of Yazaki Torres Corp.

The Order of the Rising Sun is one of the highest distinctions bestowed by the Japanese government on any person.

Escovilla, a second-generation Japanese descendant, was conferred the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, for helping trace the roots of Japanese forefathers for the recognition of Japanese nationality of some Filipinos.





She joined the Philippine Nikkeijin Kai as its legal adviser to assist persecuted Japanese-Filipinos, especially after the World War 2 when Japan occupied the Philippines from 1942 to 1945.

While caring for the needs of group’s members, she investigated the ownership rights of the lands supposedly acquired by the ancestors of some Japanese-Filipinos.

Escovilla also improved the educational status of children of Japanese descent and helped establish the identity of Japanese descendants.

Since 2011, as president of the Philippine Nikkeijin Kai, she continued to extend support to a huge number of Japanese descendants and has garnered the deep trust of Japanese descendants.

“In recognition of her contribution to the improvement of the status of Japanese descendants, including educational environment, and to the promotion of mutual understanding between Japan and the Philippines, the government of Japan confers the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette to Judge Escovilla,” the Japanese embassy in Manila said.

Previous Filipino recipients of the award were Sen. Franklin Drilon, the late Senate president Edgardo Angara, the late and former United Nations General Assembly president Carlos Romulo, and former ambassador Alfonso Yuchengco.

They were recognized for their contributions to promoting friendly relations and developing economic cooperation between Japan and the Philippines.

The Japanese embassy also conferred the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon on Torres, in recognition of his contribution to strengthening the economic relations between Tokyo and Manila.

“The government of Japan extends its sincere congratulations to Mr. Torres, and hopes that he will continue to take an active role in further strengthening the close relations between our two nations,” the embassy said.

Since the founding of Yazaki-Torres in 1974, he and his family have made valuable contributions to Japan’s economy and the automobile industry, the embassy said.

“At work, he taught his staff the Japanese way of discipline and courtesy, and the importance of quality and maintaining good relationships,” it added.

In 1998, he served as co-chairman of the Philippines-Japan Economic Cooperation Committee and led dialogues on trade and investment between Japan and the Philippines.

Torres defended the position of the automobile industry of the Philippines during the crafting and development of the Philippines-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (PJEPA). The Philippines faced serious challenges during PJEPA negotiations.

“Thanks to his hard work and contributions, PJEPA was successfully concluded and accepted by both countries,” the Japanese embassy said.