People's Honor Award

[Aaron Gerow]

The government officially decided on the 9th to give the People's Honor 
Award (Kokumin Eiyosho) to Kurosawa Akira.  The award is only about 15 
years old, but it was created to honor those figures from mostly popular 
culture who had a profound impact on the life of the nation.  Past 
recipients have included many songwriters, Hasegawa Machiko (of Sazae-san 
fame), Hasegawa Kazuo, and Atsumi Kiyoshi.  Atsumi and Hasegawa are the 
two film-related figures among the 13 to receive the award before 
Kurosawa.  Kurosawa is the first film director to get the award.

The government said Kurosawa was given the award "for giving 
self-confidence to Japan after the war" and for being "the master who 
gave birth to the Japanese film world."

Aaron Gerow
Yokohama National University
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