Longtime Weyerhaeuser exec William Franklin receives Japan's Order of the Rising Sun award

As a Weyerhaeuser executive in Japan, William E. Franklin faced the challenge of selling wood homes in a country that had been devastated by fire and earthquake. Later he took the helm of the American Chamber of Commerce in Tokyo at a time of growing trade frictions over beef, automobiles and apples.

Franklin handled the issues with so much grace and diplomacy that he earned respect from both sides.

His work also earned him one of Japan's highest honors this week: a medal from the Emperor of Japan.

Franklin, 76, received the Order of the Rising Sun award for strengthening the economic and political relationship between Japan and the United States. Established in 1875, it's the most prestigious award given to foreigners who are not political or military leaders or royalty.

The order has several categories. Franklin was presented with the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon, in a ceremony Tuesday at the official residence of the Consul-General of Japan in Seattle.

Consul-General Mitsunori Namba called Franklin "one of the founding fathers of America's modern political-economic relations with Japan and someone who has all the traits of a great diplomat as well."

Namba said Franklin helped expand opportunities for wood products in Japan and helped rebuild houses destroyed in the Kobe earthquake.

He also served as head of American business interests during a period of mounting pressure on Japan to open its markets, "Yet he always remained respectful of Japan's position," Namba said.

Franklin is one of 70 non-nationals who received the Order so far this year for notable contributions to enhance bilateral relations.

People from the Pacific Northwest who have been given the honor include University of Washington Professor Kenneth Pyle in 1999 and Montana Senator Mike Mansfield in 1989. Other 2009 award winners include actor and director Clint Eastwood and Kenyan environmental activist and Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai.

Accepting the award, Franklin said Japan has been "our most important ally in every way" for the past half century, and the two countries still account for about a third of the world's GDP.

Franklin worked in Asia for 25 years, including posts at Weyerhaeuser in Japan from 1973 to 1977 and 1986 to 1996.

"Bill went out of his way to educate a generation of managers how to successfully do business in Japan and develop long-term relationships," said Weyerhaeuser Chief Executive Dan Fulton.

"He has that incredible capability of moving from one culture to another and bringing us all with him," said former Washington Secretary of State Ralph Munro.

"What I learned the hard way is any solution that isn't a win-win solution isn't going to last," Franklin said.

He frequently hosted small dinner parties at his home, which helped "Japanese leaders and American leaders and others to get to know each other — and improve understanding," he said. "Men behave differently when their wives are around. They're more like human beings."

The achievement that meant the most to him was working with the Japanese government to pave the way for expanding the use of wood in home construction.

Regulators thought wood was unsafe, a legacy from a devastating earthquake and fire in 1923.

Japan had different product standards for concrete, wood, brick and steel. He worked to help establish uniform performance standards for building materials, he said. If wood passed the same safety tests as steel and concrete, it could be used in homes.

Washington state had built new demonstration homes made of wood outside of Kobe, using modern 2x4 construction methods. In the 1995 earthquake there, "not a single one fell down," he said.

"People began to take notice," he said. "Japanese buyers saw not only the cost advantage but performance advantages."

Franklin said his grandchildren were impressed that he shared an award with Clint Eastwood but couldn't imagine what they had in common.

"Quite a bit," Franklin said. Eastwood first became famous for the TV show "Rawhide," in which he drove cattle from Texas to Sedalia, Missouri, where Franklin was born. Eastwood went to work at Weyerhaeuser in Springfield, Oregon, and then came to Seattle, where he studied music at Seattle University. Franklin taught there.

"Now that we share this award, I'm a little surprised he hasn't called me to be in his next movie," Franklin joked to the audience. "That could happen anytime."

Kristi Heim: 206-464-2718 or kheim@seattletimes.com