كاتسوهيكو اوكو

From the news reports:

Katsuhiko Oku, a counsellor sent to Iraq from the Japanese embassy in London, was awarded the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon, the third highest rank of the nation's six-grade system of honours. ...

"It is probably unprecedented, but the decision was made as we highly valued their work and their deaths in the line of duty," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda told a news conference.

Oku has already been posthumously promoted to the rank of ambassador, and Inoue made a first secretary.

AFP 05 Dec 2003