It has been 20 years since Ambassador Katsuhiko Oku, who was active in Iraq, died after being shot, and a rugby tournament was held to honor Ambassador Oku, who belonged to the rugby club at Oxford University.
This rugby tournament was held 20 years ago in November 2003 by Regge Clark, who was a close friend of Ambassador Katsuhiko Oku, who was killed by a bullet in Iraq.
Ambassador Oku belonged to the rugby club at Oxford University in England, where he studied abroad, and every year he held an exchange match between Japan and the British in memory of Mr. Clark, whom he met through rugby after graduating from the same university.
On the 25th, a large number of Japan and British people living in the area gathered at the ground in southwest London to play an exchange match and praise each other's good performance.
The organiser, Mr. Clark, was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun in the autumn of this year for his contribution to the promotion of friendship between Japan and the UK through rugby and education.
"I am very emotional to receive the award," Clark said, adding, "Ambassador Oku was a very dynamic, powerful and skillful player, and when I played a match in his memory after his death, it was a fun and emotional occasion, so I decided to continue it every year. Now it has become a big event for the Japan community in London, and they continue to enjoy it. I'm sure Ambassador Oku would like to see it in this way."