The Kato Prize was created in 2008 to honor the career and spirit of the Honorable Ryozo Kato as he retired as Japan’s ambassador to the United States and left the Foreign Ministry. Ambassador Kato inspired a generation of Japanese and American officials with his persistent and patriotic commitment to building a stronger alliance, often quoting the famous words of George Schultz that alliance management is like gardening – a passion for those with discipline and long-term strategic vision. In that same spirit, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Center for a New American Security, the Brookings Institution, the Council on Foreign Relations, and the Stimson Center have chosen each year to recognize the “gardener” in the U.S. or Japanese government who did the most to strengthen our bilateral security ties.