The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has awarded an honorary certificate to Ganisher Nazirov from Rishtan.

The residence of the Japanese Ambassador in Uzbekistan hosted the ceremonial event, gathering numerous students of Ganisher Nazirov, along with his friends and family, who have supported this remarkable project based on enthusiasm for many years. Since its inception in 1998, the Japanese language club "Noriko Gakkyu" in the Rishtan district has provided children with the opportunity to learn the language for free and introduced students to Japanese culture and traditions.

The Japanese Ambassador to Uzbekistan, Takashi Hatori, expressed his deep respect and gratitude to Ganisher Nazirov for his selfless, long-term contribution to strengthening friendly relations between Japan and Uzbekistan in the field of education while presenting the Honorary Certificate from the head of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He noted that over 200 graduates of the "Noriko Gakkyu" school have since studied in Japan, and more than 100 graduates are currently working in the Land of the Rising Sun. The students of this school are also regular winners of competitions; for instance, in 2024, a graduate of "Noriko Gakkyu" secured 1st place at the 30th Republican Public Speaking Competition in Japanese.

Takashi Hatori emphasized that the Honorary Certificate from the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs is awarded to individuals who make significant contributions to strengthening friendly ties between Japan and foreign countries and is intended to recognize particularly noteworthy achievements of individuals and organizations.

The achievements of Nazirov were also highlighted by the Khokim of the Rishtan district, Boходиржон Холиков, who spoke at the award ceremony. He stressed that thanks to such enthusiasts, the fame of Rishtan, renowned for its famous ceramics, continues to grow. The Japanese language school and its graduates help to strengthen direct connections between the district and Japan.

Indeed, the history of the "Noriko Gakkyu" school is remarkable and deserving of recognition. As Ganisher Nazirov shared in an interview, it all began with his acquaintance with Shigikatsu Osaki, a Japanese specialist who came to Uzbekistan to build an automobile plant. Engineer Ganisher Nazirov had to learn Japanese on the job, so to speak. Their collaboration lasted for four years. Later, in 1998, Shigikatsu Osaki retired and returned to Uzbekistan, where he wanted to fulfill his dream of establishing a school where children could learn Japanese for free. This dream was realized over three years by the two friends, who opened a school and built a small building with one classroom. In 2001, Shigikatsu Osaki had to leave for treatment in his homeland, and he passed away in 2005. Ganisher Nazirov continued this project on his own. Children attend classes at "Noriko Gakkyu" in their free time after school.

The achievements of the "Noriko Gakkyu" students caught the attention of the Japanese Embassy in Uzbekistan, which provided a grant that allowed the school to expand its building.

When asked, "How have you managed to run such a noble cause for so many years with enthusiasm?", Ganisher Nazirov, with his characteristic warm smile, replied:

“The children really need this. We have volunteers from Japan visiting us, and we feel their support. Our efforts have also been recognized by the leadership of Uzbekistan - in 2018, I was awarded the Order of Friendship. The successes of our students are very encouraging - for example, in 2006, we took 1st place at the public speaking competition in Moscow, becoming the first from Uzbekistan and Central Asia. Our winning student went to Japan for 15 days.”

His eyes shine with happiness as he talks about the achievements of his students. Many of them have received higher education in Japan and returned to Uzbekistan with a new wealth of knowledge, which undoubtedly helps both their personal development and that of the country as a whole.

In Rishtan, young people come to learn Japanese through various paths. For instance, 18-year-old Nurullo Abdulazizov is originally from Fergana but moved to Rishtan only last year specifically to study at "Noriko Gakkyu."

“Before this, I learned Japanese on my own through video lessons and realized the need for immersion in the language and communication with native speakers. At "Noriko Gakkyu," I found all of this. There are volunteers from Japan to talk to, and the school has a Japanese atmosphere overall. This has been a very good experience for me; today I have reached a JLPT N3 language level,” Nurullo shared. In December, he plans to enroll in a college in Japan, hoping to pursue higher education there afterward.

Nazira Khudjanazarova, who is from Rishtan, has been attending "Noriko Gakkyu" since she was 8 years old. Initially, her parents encouraged her, but she soon became enthusiastic on her own. “I am very fascinated by Japanese culture, and I really like the Japanese people as a nation. I dream of obtaining a music education in Japan in two years after I finish my schooling,” Nazira shared.

Additionally, since 2001, Ganisher Nazirov has also served as the director of the "Cultural and Economic Center Rishtan-Japan," whose main tasks involve forming and developing cultural, economic, and educational ties between public organizations and enterprises in the Rishtan region and Japan. To date, close connections and cooperation have been established with organizations such as the Japan-Uzbekistan Friendship Association, the Japan Foundation, and the Uzbek-Japanese Center.

Since 2003, Nazirov has established Japanese language courses at the Fergana State University. His contributions were recognized with an Honorary Certificate from the Embassy of Japan in the Republic of Uzbekistan in 2004.