The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays Awarded to Hiroshi Kitajima, Former Vice President and Immediate Past President of FIAT - IFTA.

Former Vice President Hiroshi Kitajima was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays for the autumn of 2022. Ceremony was held November 11, 2022, at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.

As Chairman of the Block Representative Directors Conference, former Vice President Kitajima worked to promote disaster relief agreements between the government, federations, and affiliated cooperatives in order to speed up support activities in the event of a large-scale disaster. In addition, he was appointed President of the Fédération Internationale des Associations de Thanatologues - International Federation of Thanatologists Associations (FIAT - IFTA) in 2018, and has received this award for his longstanding efforts to develop the funeral service industry in Japan and abroad and to expand and strengthen its organization, including establishing the Japanese funeral service industry's position in the world through numerous exchanges with countries around the world.