Trinidad and Tobago and Japan have shared sixty years of diplomatic ties, strengthened through ongoing cultural exchange. A key part of that bond is language, and Ms. Shiho Arakawa has spent many years promoting and teaching Japanese at the University of the West Indies.
She has now been awarded the Japanese Foreign Minister’s Commendation at a ceremony hosted by Ambassador His Excellency Dr. Akima Umezawa.
Language is central to any culture, shaping our understanding of its history and its people. For sixteen years, Ms. Shiho Arakawa has served as a Japanese language educator at the UWI Centre for Language Learning, teaching thousands of students during her tenure.
According to His Excellency Dr. Umezawa, Spanish and French remain the leading foreign languages studied at the university, but Japanese now holds the third-highest position, a remarkable development given the relatively recent ties and geographical distance between the two nations. He credits that rise to one person.
“The incredible popularity of Japanese language at University, largely owe it all to Ms. Arakawa-san”
Dr. Umezawa commended Ms. Arakawa’s passion and commitment, noting her wider contributions: from helping implement the region’s standard Japanese language examination, to establishing the Japanese Speech Contest, and to promoting Japanese culture in the community through her role as a founding member of the Japanese Ladies’ Cultural Association of Trinidad and Tobago.
“Ms. Arakawa, Arakawa-san… truly leading advocate and symbol of Japanese cultural mission in Trinidad and Tobago. I sincerely commend her extensive and dedicated service and effort to enhance our friendly relations between two countries thereby which, definitely, deserves our Japanese Foreign Minister’s commendation.”
Ms. Arakawa described the recognition as an “overwhelming honour,” adding that she views the award as encouragement to continue her work. She dedicated the moment to her late father, whom she said imparted a guiding philosophy that shaped her life.
“He instilled in me the belief that all people are equal and meant to walk through life together. Living in Trinidad and Tobago, a country very different from Japan, has allowed me to appreciate the truth and importance of these words even more.”
Reflecting on her journey, she said she has grown by learning from every person she has met and strives to approach each interaction with sincerity. Ms. Arakawa thanked her colleagues at the university, the Japanese Embassy, her family and supporters, and reaffirmed her commitment to promoting Japanese language and culture in Trinidad and Tobago.