Professors Emeritus
Ezra F.Vogel
Country of Residence
United States of America
Date of Awarding
April 24, 1999
Status
Professor at Harvard University; Director of Harvard University Fairbank Center for East Asian Research
Reason for Awarding
Dr. Vogel is internationally renowned as researcher in history and social studies of East Asia and is a proverbial scholar through his books including “Japan As No. 1” that became a bestseller in Japan as well. He has also made substantial contributions to the progress of East Asian studies by conducting comprehensive and insightful researches based on the energetic fieldwork on society and economy of East Asia such as Japan, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Xu Xianming
Country of Residence
People’s Republic of China
Date of Awarding
November 2, 2009
Status
Professor at Shandong University; Chinese Parliament’s Standing Committee member; Chinese Parliament’s Legal Committee member; Supreme Court of the People’s Republic of China Special Invited Consultant; Supreme People’s Procuratorate Expert Advisory Commision member
Reason for Awarding
After promotion by selection to the President of China University of Political Science and Law in Beijing, the most famous law school in China, in 2001, Dr. Xu gained a reputation throughout the nation for carrying out various reforms on the recruitment of students as a human-rights expert and became the youngest and most famous president of prominent university. Having research experience in Japan and U.S., Dr. Xu had great contributions to the studies of Chinese law after China’s Reform and Openness as a legal expert. He is especially known domestically and internationally as distinguished researcher on trends in law theories, principle of law-abiding nations, legal philosophy, theories of human rights and constitutions, sociology of law, etc. As a prominent legal scholar, he has always been involved in creating China’s laws. Especially he has powerfully promoted the enactment on China’s civil rights and human rights serving as a Standing Committee member of Chinese Parliament, that is counterpart of the diet in Japan, and its Legal Committee member. In addition, Dr. Xu has an experience of getting enrolled in Faculty of Education, Yamaguchi University for a year. It is said his research life in Japan, especially at Yamaguchi University, had significant impact on his subsequent research activities and life.