Second Slovak in history receives Japan's Order of the Rising Sun

The founder of Japanese-language university studies in Slovakia Stefan Pecho received on Thursday Japan's Order of the Rising Sun in the residence of the Japanese ambassador in Bratislava. He is thus only the second Slovak in history to receive this award. He received the award for his merits in the field of promoting Japanese-language teaching in Slovakia and deepening mutual understanding between Japan and Slovakia. Pecho founded the first Japanese-language university studies in Slovakia's history at Comenius University in Bratislava in 1986. Presented on behalf of the emperor of Japan, the Order of the Rising Sun is Japan's oldest such award. It was established by Emperor Meiji in 1875.