On 29th April 2020 , the Government of Japan announced the foreign recipients of the 2020 Spring Imperial Decorations.
Mr Ross McConachie is among this year’s foreign recipients in recognition of his contributions in promoting inter-regional exchange and mutual understanding between Japan and Australia. He will receive The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette.
Mr McConachie joined the Australia-Japan Society-Queensland (AJS-Q) Inc. in 1988, and has served as an AJS-Q committee member for over 25 years.
In his time as AJS-Q Vice-President (2002-2007), and President (2007-2012), Mr McConachie initiated several projects, including AJS-Q’s annual careers seminar, and their web-based communications strategy, to promote goodwill between Japan and Australia and thus make Japan’s presence much more familiar in Queensland and in Australia.
He also contributed greatly to the reinvigoration of the Kobe-Brisbane Sister City relationship, which celebrates its 35th anniversary this year, facilitating the first trade missions between the two cities.
The Society offers its congratulations to Ross on this much-deserved recognition.