REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SURABAYA -- Japan has honored ex-Indonesian education minister Mohammad Nuh by awarding him the Order of the Rising Sun in recognition of his significant contribution to strengthening ties between the higher education institutions of both countries.

The medal of honor was conferred by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Nuh revealed in a press statement made available to Antara here, Wednesday.

The Japanese government believes that Nuh played an instrumental role in successfully repatriating the remains of Japanese soldiers, who lost their lives in World War II in Indonesia's Papua Province.

During Nuh's ministerial term from 2009 to 2014, his contribution to the formation of the Association of Japan-Indonesia's University Rectors in 2012 was also acknowledged. Following the establishment of the association, the first meeting was held at the Nagoya University and was attended by the representatives of the two countries' universities, diplomats, and former president B.J. Habibie.

"Habibie was the keynote speaker at the first meeting," Nuh remarked, adding that the Japanese government believed that the increase in the number of Indonesian students learning Japanese language was also one of the results of his ministerial policies.

Nuh said the Japanese government had honored 20 people in 2016 for contributing significantly to boosting their countries' relations with Japan. Eight of them were invited to visit Tokyo to receive the medals of honor, while 12 others were bestowed the honor at the Japanese embassies in their respective countries.

The eight recipients were from Indonesia, India, Turkey, Sweden, Thailand, and Mexico.

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