METROPOL Group of Companies rendered assistance in the translation and publication of the book of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia entitled Freedom and Responsibility: In Search of Harmony. Human Rights and Personal Dignity in Japanese, as well as the book by A.A. Khlopetskiy The Perpetual Fight… Presentation of the books in Tokyo was timed to primatial visit of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia to Japan.

During the visit, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia awarded the Orthodox laity participating in the translation and publication of the book. Awards were given in connection with the centenary of the repose of St. Nicholas of Japan. IFC METROPOL Office Manager in Japan, Alexander Tibulevich was awarded the Medal of the Order of St. Nicholas of Japan Apostolic. As noted in the awards sheet, the decision to present this award was made “in consideration of his assiduous work for the good of Orthodoxy in Japan and in connection with the centenary of the repose of Nicholas of Japan Apostolic.”

Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, who presented the book to the public, noted that this was the first book of His Holiness, which was published in Japanese. And he also noted that this work “opens up for the Japanese reader the opportunity to learn the basics of Orthodox theology and modern Russian religious and social thinking.” In his speech, the Patriarch thanked METROPOL Group of Companies, officers of METROPOL Group of Companies in Japan, as well as all those who contributed to the Japanese edition of the book.