Dr Edwina Palmer, the Former Associate Professor and Head of the Japanese programme of Victoria University of Wellington, receives the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette

Dr Edwina Palmer, Former Associate Professor and Head of the Japanese Programme of Victoria University of Wellington was bestowed the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, on Monday 17th December, at a Conferral Ceremony held at the Official Residence of the Ambassador of Japan to New Zealand. The award is in recognition of her contributions towards promoting the understanding and appreciation of the Japanese language and culture in New Zealand, as well as adding much research literature to Japan-related fields.

Summary of Contributions:
Dr Edwina Palmer has contributed to the understanding of Japanese language and culture over 40 years at the University of London, the University of Canterbury and Victoria University of Wellington. She was formerly Head of Victoria University of Wellington’s Japanese Programme, School of Languages and Cultures, and Head of the University of Canterbury’s Japanese Programme, School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics, and is well-known and respected for her Japan-related academic works in New Zealand and internationally. This includes an English translation of the Harima Fudoki with annotations and commentary, a large number of articles and chapters based on her own research, and several scholarly translations. In 2012 she was the first New Zealand based academic to receive the Inoue Yasushi award for her 2011 article A Poem to Carp About: Poem 16-3828 of the Man’Yoshu Collection.