Professor Nana Gelashvili was awarded with the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon

On April 29, 2026, the Government of Japan announced the conferment of the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon upon Professor Nana Gelashvili, Head of the Direction of Far Eastern Studies, Faculty of Humanities, Tbilisi State University, in recognition for her outstanding contributions to the development of Japanese studies in Georgia and the promotion of mutual understanding between Japan and Georgia.   

Professor Gelashvili, as the Head of Direction of Far East Studies of the Faculty of Humanities at Tbilisi State University, has devoted her career to fostering Japanese studies and culture at the university for many years. She made a significant contribution to the field of empirical historical research on Asian history. One of the most outstanding of her contributions is the establishment of the university’s first Japanese Studies major program in 2023. In recognition of these achievements, she was awarded the Foreign Minister’s Commendation in August 2025.   

The Order of the Rising Sun was established in 1875 as the Japan’s first national decoration awarded by the Government of Japan. It features rays of sunlight radiating from the rising sun with an attachment that is fashioned in the shape of a paulownia flower and leaf. The Order of the Rising Sun is conferred on the persons who have rendered outstanding service to the nation or the public, including foreign nationals who achieved significant contributions to advancing relations between Japan and its partners.