The Japanese international will be made Knight of the Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity by the nation's president Carlo Ciampi, a statement from the Quirinale presidential palace announced.
The honour was originally created in 1947 to recognise the achievements of those who helped rebuild post-war Italy.
Nakata will be honoured in recognition of his work promoting the image of Italian football, having played seven years in Serie A before his loan move from Fiorentina to Bolton this summer.
The 28-year-old, who was voted Asian player of the year in 1997 and 1998, joined Perugia before moving to Roma, where he won the Scudetto in the 2000-2001 campaign.
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