Olivia Newton-John receives Japan’s highest honour
Olivia Newton-John will receive Japan’s highest honour for her contributions to developing the country’s musical culture and relations between Japan and Australia.
The Japanese government announced it would be conferring the Order of the Rising Sun on the Australian singer, who was the first foreign artist to perform in Fukushima following the nuclear disaster that forced the city to evacuate.
“I first visited Japan in 1972 and since then I’ve been back more than 10 times, one of my favourite countries and favourite people. A particularly memorable moment was my ‘Pray for Fukushima’ concert in 2015 in Fukushima,” she said.
Congratulations, Olivia Newton-John DBE AC @olivianj. My favorite singer was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, the Government of Japan announced today.
Here is a video message from her! pic.twitter.com/lNAcLTuwOR— Ambassador YAMAGAMI Shingo (@YamagamiShingo) November 2, 2021
“I was deeply touched by the resilience of the people affected by the disaster and it was a heart-warming experience.
“I so look forward to visiting Japan and seeing you all again soon, thank you so much.”
The 73-year-old has advocated for several causes, including promoting awareness of cancer, and post-disaster recovery efforts such as Fukushima and following Australia’s Black Summer bushfires.
Newton-John was previously made a dame in the Queen’s 2020 New Year’s honour list in 2019 in recognition of her services to charity, entertainment, and cancer research.
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