November 3, 2016

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Former U.S. House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) today issued the following statement regarding the announcement by the Embassy of Japan that the Government of Japan will confer the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun upon him in recognition of his significant contributions to the Japan-U.S. relationship:

“One of the great memories of my Speakership was the day I had the high honor of welcoming Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to the Capitol as the first Japanese leader to address a joint meeting of the United States Congress.  We will never forget his tribute to the heroes who fell in World War II, or to the vision of lasting friendship, security, and economic opportunity he put forth that day for our two countries.  I will also always be personally grateful for the economic partnership between our two countries, a mutually beneficial relationship that supported thousands of good jobs in our congressional district during my time in office, and continues today.  I am deeply honored to have been chosen for this recognition by our friends and allies in Japan, and look forward to continuing to work with Prime Minister Abe and many others to further strengthen the already critical alliance between our two great nations.”

NOTE: Accepting an historic invitation offered by Speaker Boehner, Japanese Prime Minister Abe on April 29, 2015 became the first Japanese leader in history to address a Joint Meeting of the U.S. Congress.  Prime Minister Abe’s address can be viewed here.  Boehner represented the 8th Congressional District of Ohio in the U.S. House of Representatives for nearly 25 years.  Japanese companies for years have been the source of thousands of jobs for U.S. workers in the 8th District, and currently employ approximately 74,000 Ohioans across the former Speaker’s home state.

# # # # #