Japan honors Person of Cultural Merit awardees

Nov 05, 2020 | News On Japan

Nov 05, 2020 (NHK) - The people selected as a Person of Cultural Merit in Japan in 2020 gathered for an award ceremony on Wednesday in Tokyo.

The honor was extended to 20 awardees from various fields. They include comedian Nishikawa Kiyoshi, movie cameraman and director Kimura Daisaku, and composer Saegusa Shigeaki.

Seventeen people, including one recipient's proxy, attended the award ceremony.

The State Minister of Culture, Takahashi Hinako, handed certificates to the awardees.

Professor Emeritus Ito Shuntaro of the University of Tokyo, an expert in the history of science and comparative study of civilization, spoke on behalf of the award recipients.

He said the awardees have made strenuous efforts in their respective fields for many years. He said they owe this honor to support from family members and others, and it should inspire their colleagues and younger people.

A photo session followed the ceremony.

Each Person of Cultural Merit will receive a lifetime annuity of 3.5 million yen, or about 33,000 dollars.

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