Order of Culture and Person of Cultural Merit Recipients Announced

On October 29, the Japanese government announced six recipients of the Order of Culture and 21 recipients of the Person of Cultural Merit for the fiscal year 2019. In relation to art, the Order of Culture was given to photographer TANUMA Takeyoshi, who began his career as a press photographer and dedicated himself to elevating the status of photographers by creating a unique world on children both in Japan and abroad. The Person of Cultural Merit was given to lighting designer ISHII Motoko, who advocates for designing spaces through lighting to revitalize environments and has been involved in the lighting design of landmarks such as the Tokyo Tower and Himeji Castle; nihonga artist TABUCHI Toshio, whose works, meticulously researched in terms of nature and history, combine decorative and spiritual elements, and who has been highly praised for establishing a distinctive style in nihonga painting; and manga artist HAGIO Moto, who developed shōjo manga into a genre capable of diverse and profound expression. (Japanese)