Conferment Ceremony of the Order of the Rising Sun, Silver Rays for Mr. John Hopper (September 18, 2026)
On September 18th, 2026, a ceremony for the 2026 Spring Conferment of Decorations on Foreign Nationals was held at the official residence of the Consul-General. At the ceremony, Consul-General Okajima presented the Order of the Rising Sun, Silver Rays to Mr. John Hopper, founder and former President of the Amache Preservation Society. Mr. Hopper has made significant contributions to promoting friendship and mutual understanding between Japan and the United States through his efforts to preserve the history of the Japanese American community.
Following the presentation, Mr. Hopper described the Decorations as a great honor and expressed his deep gratitude to his family, friends, and members of the Granada High School community who have supported him. Mr. Derek Okubo, a board member of the Amache Alliance, also gave a congratulatory speech and the toast, expressing his heartfelt respect for Mr. Hopper who remained steadfast in his convictions and dedicated himself to the preservation of Japanese American history despite facing opposition and criticism. Mr. Okubo also recognized Mr. Hopper’s significant efforts to broaden local understanding and important contribution to the site’s designation as a National Historic Site.
The Consulate-General of Japan in Denver once again expresses its deep gratitude and respect for Mr. Hopper who is a true friend of Japan.
[Reference] Summary of Contributions
While working as a teacher at Granada High School, Mr. Hopper founded the Amache Preservation Society in 1993 to preserve the site of the Granada War Relocation Center (commonly known as Amache), one of the Japanese American incarceration camps established by the War Relocation Authority during World War II. For many years, he worked closely with his students to carry out preservation, research, and educational activities at the site, contributing to friendship, goodwill, and mutual understanding between Japan and the United States. Fostered by these long-standing efforts, the site was formally designated as the Amache National Historic Site in February 2024.