Japan awards Azerbaijani teacher with highest national order

Japan has awarded Esmira Mammadova, a Japanese language teacher at Baku Secondary School No. 225, with the country's highest state decoration, the Order of the Rising Sun, Silver Rays, according to Report.

The award ceremony took place at the residence of Japan's Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Katsuya Watanabe, in Baku. The order was presented in recognition of Mammadova's contributions to promoting the Japanese language in Azerbaijan and strengthening friendly ties between the two countries.

Ambassador Watanabe expressed his gratitude to Mammadova for her dedication and significant role in advancing Japanese language and culture in Azerbaijan.

It was noted that Mammadova was instrumental in introducing Japanese into the country's secondary education system. In 2009, the Ministry of Education launched a pilot program teaching Japanese in three state schools, including School No. 225, which remains the only institution where Japanese has been continuously offered as a school subject.

The Order of the Rising Sun, Silver Rays, established in 1875, features a red enamel cabochon symbolizing the sun from Japan's national flag, and a pendant shaped like the paulownia crest with green leaves and purple flowers.