Alumnus Gary Matson Receives a Certificate of Commendation for his Great Contributions Towards Canada-Japan Relations

Mr. Gary Matson, who earned both his BA (’72) and MA (’82, in Modern Japanese Literature) from UBC Asian Studies and his LLB in 1985, was honored by Consul-General Asako Okai of Japan on February 16, 2017 with a Certificate of Commendation for his “great contributions to promote mutual understanding and friendship between Japan and Canada”.
Gary has been a steadfast friend and supporter of the Department, and was one of the deshi of the late Professor John Howes who took the lead on creating the endowment for the annual Howes Lecture in Japanese Studies. But more to the point of the Commendation, Gary has been a loyal and beloved servant of just about every community organization and institution working at the intersection of British Columbia, Japan, and the Nikkei community. Nikkei community elder and leader Gordon Kadota recounted some of Gary’s many accomplishments on behalf of the BC Japanese community before leading the group of well-wishers in a well-deserved “kanpai”.
Omedetō gozaimasu!