Award Ceremony for recipient of the Foreign Minister’s Commendations for FY 2025, Ms. SHIMOZAWA Shoko, former Director of the Division of Emergency, Security and Supply at UNHCR (17 November 2025)
2025/12/24
On 17 November, a ceremony was held at the Ambassador’s residence to award the Foreign Minister’s Commendation to Ms. SHIMOZAWA Shoko, former Director of the Division of Emergency, Security and Supply at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Ambassador OIKE Atsuyuki presented Ms. SHIMOZAWA with the certificate of commendation after remarks in praise of her achievements.
The Foreign Minister’s Commendations are awarded to individuals and groups with outstanding achievements in international fields, in order to acknowledge their contributions to the promotion of friendship between Japan and other countries and areas. The Commendations also aim to promote the understanding and support of the Japanese public for the activities of the recipients.
Ms. SHIMOZAWA’s Achievements
Ms. SHIMOZAWA began working for UNHCR in 1991, engaging in refugee support in Latin America and the Middle East among other regions. After being appointed Director of the Division of Emergency, Security and Supply at UNHCR headquarters in 2020, she worked on improving response manuals for humanitarian crises. She also contributed to responses to humanitarian crises, such as supporting the transportation of supplies by Japan Self-Defense Force aircraft during the 2022 Ukraine crisis, establishing a humanitarian crisis response training center in Africa with the Japanese government in 2023, and providing support for the evacuation of Japanese nationals during the Sudan crisis in the same year. Furthermore, she contributed to UNHCR’s work for many years by promoting and enhancing understanding within Japanese society of refugee issues and UNHCR’s activities.
For more on this topic, see also:
Foreign Minister’s Commendations for FY 2025 (28 August 2025)
The Foreign Minister’s Commendations are awarded to individuals and groups with outstanding achievements in international fields, in order to acknowledge their contributions to the promotion of friendship between Japan and other countries and areas. The Commendations also aim to promote the understanding and support of the Japanese public for the activities of the recipients.
Ms. SHIMOZAWA’s Achievements
Ms. SHIMOZAWA began working for UNHCR in 1991, engaging in refugee support in Latin America and the Middle East among other regions. After being appointed Director of the Division of Emergency, Security and Supply at UNHCR headquarters in 2020, she worked on improving response manuals for humanitarian crises. She also contributed to responses to humanitarian crises, such as supporting the transportation of supplies by Japan Self-Defense Force aircraft during the 2022 Ukraine crisis, establishing a humanitarian crisis response training center in Africa with the Japanese government in 2023, and providing support for the evacuation of Japanese nationals during the Sudan crisis in the same year. Furthermore, she contributed to UNHCR’s work for many years by promoting and enhancing understanding within Japanese society of refugee issues and UNHCR’s activities.
For more on this topic, see also:
Foreign Minister’s Commendations for FY 2025 (28 August 2025)