Rizal was present to receive the award on Wednesday during a reception at the Japanese Embassy in Jakarta. The award was presented by Japanese Ambassador to the country Kenji Kanasugi.

In his speech, Kanasugi said his predecessors had benefited from insights given by Rizal on ways to improve the relationship between the two countries.

"Through these exchanges of ideas, my predecessors have gained crucial insights on how to improve ties between Indonesia and Japan," Kanasugi said in his speech.

On an annual basis, the Japanese foreign ministry gives commendations to individuals and groups with outstanding achievements in international fields, in order to acknowledge their contributions to the promotion of friendship between Japan and other countries and areas.

Speaking during the ceremony, Rizal said the two countries could further strengthen their cooperation, especially since Indonesia is now the chair the Group of 20 and will assume the leadership of ASEAN next year.

Rizal served as an executive director of CSIS between 2009 and 2015. In 2014, early in the administration of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, Rizal took up a position as a foreign policy advisor to then newly elected leader.

Jokowi named Rizal the country's ambassador to the UK in 2016, a position he occupied until 2020.

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