Courier country parks will be part of a tree project set to come to fruition in the spring to mark 150 years of Japan-UK friendship.
Cherry blossom trees will be planted in the Dundee’s Dawson Park and in Stonehaven as a “living testament” to Thomas Blake Glover.
North-east born Glover was a key figure in the industrialisation of Japan after arriving in Nagasaki in 1859.
His achievements saw him earn the name of the Scottish Samurai.
Cherry Tree initiative was launched in 2017
The Sakura Cherry Tree Project which will include the Tayside and Aberdeenshire sites was launched when Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and former UK premier Theresa May met in 2017.
There will be 100 trees planted at Mineralwell, with a smaller number at Dawson Park.
Stonehaven’s selection follows an approach by local MP Andrew Bowie and a “pitch” at the Japanese embassy in 2018.
West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine Conservative Mr Bowie said the news coincides with the first UK-Japan trade deal, signed in October.
“Thomas Glover did more for British-Japan relations than nearly any other person to this day,” he added.
“He was so popular he was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun by Emperor Meiji.
“It is with great pride that we will mark this, and 150 years of friendship, thanks to our friends in Japan.
“It has been a long road to get to this point but absolutely worth it.
“The park will be a spectacular sight in the spring and a living testament to Glover and international cooperation.”
Rare varieties will be planted as part of the project
Trees are to include the taihaku or ‘great white’, which became extinct in Japan and was re-introduced from the UK.
Former Japanese Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Koji Tsuruoka, said: “Thousands of cherry trees planted in parks, schools and public spaces will grow as a symbol of the longstanding friendship that has evolved between our two countries and will continue to do so.
“I would like to express my utmost appreciation to those who have helped bring the Sakura Cherry Tree Project into being.”
The project is a part of the Japan-UK Seasons of Culture project.
It is represented in Japan by the Japan-British Society and in the UK by a special committee convened by the Japan Matsuri Company.
Key figure in Japanese industry
Glover died at his Tokyo home in December 1911 and is buried in Nagasaki’s Sakamoto International Cemetery.
He helped found what would become the Mitsubishi Corporation and the Japan Brewery Company, later the major Kirin Brewery Company.
His achievements also inspired the Scottish Samurai Awards, which have been running for 25 years.
