Daniel Inouye - Honors and Decorations

Honors and Decorations

• On June 21, 2000, Inouye was presented the Medal of Honor by President Bill Clinton for his service during World War II (In 2007, Inouye was personally inducted as a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor by President of France Nicolas Sarkozy; all living veterans of WW II who served in France are eligible to receive the Legion of Honor military award from France).

• Also in 2000, Inouye was awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun by the Emperor of Japan, in recognition of his long and distinguished career in public service.

• In 2006, the U S Navy Memorial awarded Inouye with its Naval Heritage award for his support of the U S Navy and the military during his terms in the Senate.

• In February 2009, a bill was filed in the Philippine House of Representatives by Rep. Antonio Diaz seeking to confer honorary Filipino citizenship on Inouye, Senators Ted Stevens and Daniel Akaka and Representative Bob Filner, for their role in securing the passage of benefits for Filipino World War II veterans.

• In June 2011, Inouye was appointed a Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers, the highest Japanese honor which may be conferred upon a foreigner who is not a head of state. Only the seventh American to be so honored, he is also the first American of Japanese descent to receive it. The conferment of the order was "to recognize his continued significant and unprecedented contributions to the enhancement of goodwill and understanding between Japan and the United States."