Recipients of the First Nakasone Yasuhiro Award
Awards conferred June 28, 2005

Mr. Cheol Hee Park, PhD
Award of Excellence
Born: February 11, 1963
Nationality: Republic of Korea
Occupation: Assistant Professor
Graduate School of International Studies (GSIS), Seoul National University
Dr. Cheol Hee Park has for many years performed research in Japan, Korea, and the UnitedStates in the fields of Japanese politics, international affairs, Japan-Korea relations, and East
Asian international relations. Besides such public positions as Advisory Board Member of theNational Security Council, The Presidential Office and as Board Member of the Korean
Association of International Studies, Dr. Park has been very active in international affairs andnational security. In terms of activity in Japan-Korea relations, Dr. Park is a member of theKorea-Japan Forum and serves as the Head of Academic Exchange Department of the Institutefor Japanese Studies at Seoul National University. His contributions have furthereddevelopment of better understanding and friendly relations between Japan and Korea.
Ms. Naomi Sekiya, DMA
Incentive Award
Born: June 23, 1969
Occupation: Composer

Nationality: JapanDr. Naomi Sekiya is a composer based in the United States. She actively participates in music
festivals and competitions, and her compositions, which are performed by orchestras around theworld, receive high international acclaim. Dr. Sekiya is the principal composer of the score forManzanar: An American Story, a musical and narrative project performed this year chronicling
the internment of Japanese-Americans in camps during World War II. Besides composing thescore for the production, Dr. Sekiya used music as the medium to explore the social andpolitical issues of our time in order to contribute to world peace.
Mr. Rizal Sukma, PhD
Incentive Award
Born: November 17, 1964
Nationality: Indonesia
Occupation: Director of StudiesCentre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Jakarta
Dr. Rizal Sukma has made scholarly achievements in the fields of security, diplomacy, andinternal affairs and in recent years has participated in political reform. As a Member of theDrafting Committee of National Defense Bill and the Defense Review Committee ofIndonesia’s Ministry of Defence, Dr. Sukma has been particularly involved in the security
sector. He has contributed toward establishment of a security framework in ASEAN and theAsia-Pacific region as a Member of Indonesia’s Eminent and Expert Persons (EEP) for theASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and Member of the Indonesia Committee in the Council on
Security Cooperation in Asia-Pacific (CSCAP).
Mr. Taizo Miyagi, PhD
Incentive Award
Born: January 27, 1968
Nationality: Japan
Occupation: Lecturer
Graduate School of Law, Hokkaido University
Dr. Taizo Miyagi authored the books The Bandung Conference and Japan’s Return to Asia:
Between Asia and the US (2001) and Japan and Southeast Asia in the Quest for Order: TheCold War, Decolonization and Development, 1957-1966 (2004). In his work, Dr. Miyagi
examines the nature of Japan’s existence in postwar Asia. He introduces a new approach ofviewing Southeast Asian countries in terms of their being surrounded and connected by the sea
and discusses the relations between Japan and Asia as well as multi-lateral relations between
Asian and Western countries. Further, Dr. Miyagi’s dissertations based on empirical research ofextensive documentation generated by study of original source diplomatic correspondence fromJapan, the United Kingdom and the United States received high praise.