Former Union Minister Ashwani Kumar was conferred the prestigious "Order of the Rising Sun" in recognition of his services by which of the following countries?

Introduction / Context:
This question is from the area of current affairs and honours or decorations given by foreign governments to Indian personalities. The Order of the Rising Sun is one of the highest civilian honours conferred by a specific country, particularly for contributions in promoting relations with that country. Knowing which country awards this decoration and identifying it correctly in multiple choice questions is a useful piece of factual knowledge for competitive exams.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The subject is former Union Minister Ashwani Kumar.
• He was conferred the Order of the Rising Sun for his services.
• The options include India, China, Iraq, Japan and South Korea.
• We assume standard awareness of major international honours and their awarding countries.

Concept / Approach:
The Order of the Rising Sun is a Japanese order established in the nineteenth century. It is awarded by the Government of Japan to individuals, both Japanese and foreign, who have made distinguished achievements in international relations, promotion of Japanese culture, or advancement in their fields. When a question mentions the Order of the Rising Sun and an Indian recipient, the expected association is always with Japan. None of the other listed countries uses this name for their national honours.

Step-by-Step Solution:
1. Recognise the phrase Order of the Rising Sun as the name of a national order of merit. 2. Recall that the rising sun symbol is strongly associated with Japan, historically and culturally. 3. The Government of Japan confers the Order of the Rising Sun on foreign nationals, including Indian leaders, for contributions to Japan India relations. 4. The other countries listed, such as China, Iraq or South Korea, have different names for their national honours. 5. Therefore, the country that conferred this order on Ashwani Kumar is Japan.

Verification / Alternative check:
News reports, press releases and government notifications about awards to Indian dignitaries frequently mention that the Order of the Rising Sun is a Japanese decoration. In exam oriented magazines, it is also listed under important honours from foreign governments. The consistent description of this award as a Japanese order leaves little room for confusion once you have encountered it at least once in your reading.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• India: India has its own set of civilian honours such as Bharat Ratna, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri, not the Order of the Rising Sun.
• China: China grants honours under names related to the People's Republic and Chinese symbols, not this Japanese title.
• Iraq: Has its own decorations and orders linked to its national history, not the Order of the Rising Sun.
• South Korea: Uses different national orders and medals; the rising sun symbol and this specific title are not associated with it.

Common Pitfalls:
The main difficulty arises when candidates do not recall the specific country linked to each foreign honour. Some may confuse the rising sun symbol with general Asian imagery and guess China or some other East Asian country. To avoid such errors, it is helpful to remember a few key associations: Order of the Rising Sun is Japan, Legion of Honour is France, and so on. Creating a small mental or written list of such pairs can be very useful for quick recall.

Final Answer:
The Order of the Rising Sun awarded to Ashwani Kumar is a national honour of Japan.