A scholar of Chinese history and East Asia security policy was honored Thursday with the seventh Nakasone Yasuhiro Award.

The Institute for International Policy Studies presented associate professor Yasuhiro Matsuda of the University of Tokyo with the Award of Excellence in an awards ceremony at the Capitol Hotel Tokyu in Chiyoda Ward, for explaining Japanese security policy to international audiences and making proposals for roles East Asian countries can play that will lead to their stability and development.

In addition, the institute gave the Incentive Award to Liu Jie, a history and international relations professor at Waseda University, and Shamshad Ahmad Khan, a researcher at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyzes in India.

The IIPS, chaired by former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone, said Matsuda's research activities "are fresh and provide contrast to the usual descriptions with an objective look into the East Asian region."

Matsuda, who studies contemporary Chinese history, Taiwanese politics and the security policy in East Asia, said at the event, "I am extremely honored that I was given the Award of Excellence."