DETROIT (March 3, 2026) – On Thursday, August 28, 2025, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan announced the recipients of the FY2025 Commendation by the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
From the jurisdiction of this Consulate-General, the following two individuals were selected in recognition of their contributions to promoting mutual understanding between Japan and the United States.
The Commendation by the Minister for Foreign Affairs aims to recognize individuals and organizations with particularly outstanding achievements who have made significant contributions to strengthening friendly relations between Japan and other countries in various fields of international relations. It also seeks to promote broader public understanding and support for their activities.
Liseann Gouin
President, Japan–America Society of Michigan and Southwestern Ontario (JASMSO)
Ms. Liseann Gouin has contributed to promoting the understanding of Japanese culture and strengthening relations among Japan, the United States, and Canada as President of the Japan–America Society of Michigan and Southwestern Ontario (JASMSO) since 1997.
She has been a member of JASMSO since its establishment and has devoted more than 35 years to supporting the activities of the Japan–America Society. She has also organized numerous events for the local community to highlight the deep historical ties between Japan and the State of Michigan, including programs introducing figures such as the painter Tawaraya Sotatsu, sculptor Isamu Noguchi, and architect Minoru Yamasaki.
In cooperation with the Japan Business Society of Detroit and Japan-affiliated companies in the region, she also hosts the “5:01 Meeting,” which supports the development of Japanese businesses in the area.
Takashi Omitsu
Current Member of Detroit Institute of Arts’ Board
Mr. Takashi Omitsu was first assigned to Detroit in 1979 as a company representative and has since made long-standing contributions to the promotion of Japanese culture. Following the City of Detroit’s bankruptcy in 2013, he called upon the Japanese community, which subsequently donated $3.2 million in 2014 to support the preservation of the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA).
In 2017, a Japanese Gallery was established at the DIA, and in the same year he founded the Japan Cultural Development in the Japanese Business Society of Detroit (JBSD). Through this committee, JBSD organizes the Hinamatsuri Festival at the DIA, which attracts several thousand participants. In 2018, he also planned and supported the research visits of Her Imperial Highness Princess Akiko of Mikasa to museums in Michigan.