The Government of Japan on Thursday announced the conferment of the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun on Senate President Pro-Tempore Franklin Drilo and former Prime Minister Cesar Virata, the Japanese Embassy announced Thursday.

The award is in recognition of the contributions of Drilon and Virata contributions to promoting friendly relations and developing economic cooperation between Japan and the Philippines .

Drilon has dedicated to nurturing the Philippines-Japan Parliamentarians Association (PJPA) since 1999. In 2011, he became PJPA president and contributed significantly to deepening friendship between the PJPA and its counterpart, the Japan-Philippines Parliamentarians Friendship League (JPPFL).

Drilon has played an invaluable role in enhancing economic relations by, among others, supporting ratification of the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) ? which was signed by both governments in September 2006 and entered into force in December 2008.

“His efforts in this regard have contributed to Japan ’s status as one of the largest trade and investment partners of the Philippines today,” the Japanese Embassy said in a statement.

Virata, as prime minister and secretary of finance, contributed to reinforcing economic relations between Japan and the Philippines through ratification of the Philippines-Japan Treaty of Amity, Commerce and Navigation and the promotion of the Philippines-Japan Tax Treaty. Virata has forged Japan 's assistance towards the Philippines , deepening the cooperative bilateral relations between both countries.

Following his government service, as president of C. Virata & Associates, Inc., Virata has supported numerous Japanese companies in expanding businesses by giving astute and effective advice in navigating the Philippine market.

Virata has been the chairperson of the advisory committee of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Philippines office for more than ten years where he has provided guidance in Japan 's policy and implementation. DMS