Ambassador Horie’s contributions to MJAA have helped to:

• Amplify the voice and visibility of academic and research collaboration initiatives across Malaysia and Japan;
• Strengthen collaborative platforms for intercultural understanding, professional exchange, and leadership development;
• Inspire a new generation of leaders committed to bilateral cooperation and mutual prosperity.

Through his vision, mentorship, and steadfast support, His Excellency Professor Dr. Horie Masahiko has not only advanced the strategic interests of Japan and Malaysia but has also nurtured a community of engaged citizens who embody the spirit of lasting friendship between both nations.

In celebrating His Excellency Professor Dr. Horie Masahiko’s remarkable contributions, it is equally important to honor the quiet yet deeply meaningful role played by his beloved wife, the late Madam Yoko Horie. For more than five decades, accompanying him through the demanding path of diplomatic service, Yoko-san stood as a steadfast source of strength, grace, and unwavering support. Though she worked often behind the scenes, her influence was just superb in the warmth, sincerity, and humanity that have long characterized His Excellency Horie’s engagements with Malaysia and the global community.

Yoko-san’s presence was frequently noted by those fortunate enough to meet her, whether during official functions or informal gatherings. Her elegance, gentleness, and genuine care left lasting impressions on students, colleagues, and friends alike. She welcomed communities with kindness, extended warmth across cultures, and embodied the heart-to-heart connection that underpins the enduring friendship between Japan and Malaysia.

Her support also extended to His Excellency Horie’s long-standing involvement with the Malaysia Japan Alumni Association (MJAA), where her encouragement helped sustain his tireless dedication to strengthening people-to-people ties. The joy she expressed upon learning of the Honorary Doctorate to be awarded to His Excellency at UTM in 2025 reflects the shared pride and mutual commitment that defined their partnership. Even as she remained in the background, her contributions were inseparable from the impact His Excellency Horie has made across decades.

The “Magokoro Bench”, a piano-shaped memorial gifted during their golden wedding anniversary, stands today as a poignant symbol of a love built on sincerity, compassion, and shared purpose. It represents not only a deeply personal bond, but also the spirit of generosity and humanity that shaped their journey together. For many, it is a reminder that great diplomatic achievements are often supported by profound personal devotion.

As MJAA recognizes His Excellency Horie’s extraordinary leadership, it also pays tribute to Yoko-san’s quiet, steadfast role in nurturing the values of friendship, respect, and understanding between Japan and Malaysia. Her legacy lives on through the individuals whose lives she touched and through the enduring work that Ambassador Horie continues in her honor.

Sincerely From the MJAA Committee Board 2026-2027 Term

As the Founder and Director of MJAA, I offer my deepest and most personal gratitude to both Horie-sensei and the late Yoko-san. Since the first year I arrived in Japan as a young doctoral student, they cared for me with kindness, sincerity, and encouragement. They witnessed my growth from a struggling researcher finding my root, to receiving the Role Model Student Award from Meiji University, to becoming someone committed to contributing to the Malaysia-Japan community. When I visited Horie-sensei’s office in 2022 after a while, he pointed to the certificate he received at the Malaysia Japan Academic Scholar Conference (MJASC) 2013, which I chaired as a postdoctoral. There it was! still displayed proudly after so many years, shining on the wall of the Meiji University MJIIT Office. That single action changes things. It was in that moment that he gently, yet powerfully, encouraged me to continue the journey I begin, and let the good initiate become alive again.

That inspiration has brought me to invite some of my friends who have the same passion, that is where we are today, friendship, encouragement, same passion. MJAA’s renewed momentum was born in 2023! Followed by the first flag-ship activity of MJVC2024 at the University of Tokyo.

The passion and love that both Horie-sensei and Yoko-san have consistently shown toward Malaysia helped to shape my own sense of belonging, identity, and mission. They helped me to rediscover what I can do for my country, in Japan.

Thank you both of them, for guidance, trust, and the enduring inspiration from the bottom of my heart. Your legacy lives within the work we carry forward today.

Amy Poh Ai Ling

3rd February 2026