English Guidence of Higashi-Kuninomiya International Culture Award
The Origin of Higashi-Kuninomiya International Culture Award
The Genealogy of Higashi-Kuninomya Family
Award Eligibility Requirements
Excerpt of Award Winners
Foundation and Contact Information
- The Origin of Higashi-Kuninomiya International Culture Award
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It started from the ideas of Prince Higashikuni Morihiro
As invention philosophy of Prince Higashikuni Morihiro, he said “There is no distinction of such as upper/lower or noble/lowly in the invention. Smaller inventions are precious. Small invention of each nation is more important than receiving 100 Nobel Prizes. A person who invented delicious miso soup should be given an Order of cultural Merit.” He became our honorary president.
Later years he fell ill and invited me, a president at that time. He said, "You may use my family name and property to grant royal awards to those who contribute to the development of culture.” Like this, this cultural reward was born by his will. This is one of the three familiarly known prince awards that are Takamatsunomiya award, Chichibunomiya award, and Higashi-Kuninomiya award.
Establishment of the Award
In 1946 after the end of the war, I was a member of the House of Representatives. I became the secretary general of the invention promotion parliamentary league that I started to promote invention and I was doing my best for it. At that time, I happened to meet Prince Higashikuni Morihiro.
His invention philosophy was, "There is no distinction of such as upper/lower or noble/lowly in the invention. Small invention of each nation is more important than receiving 100 Nobel Prizes. A person who invented delicious miso soup should be given 'an Order of cultural Merit'". I was deeply moved by his thought.
When I established an invention society called Hatsumeigakkai in the Science and Technology Agency, His Royal Highness kindly became the honorary president soon. I created the reward club in the Science and the Technology Agency. In this reward club, Director-General of the Science
and Technology Agency became the advisor and I became the executive head, and the club had lasted for 35 years and became an official organization of the agency. The Technology Agency
was combined with the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture and the agency disappeared. As a result, the club also disappeared.
Mr.Toyosawa(left), Prince Morihiro(center) with his spouse(right)
at Exhibition of Inventions
However, a lot of presidents of small and medium-sized enterprises who were main characters of the reward club sent me letters and said, “The culture award was comparable to the Order of Cultural Merit. The award should be given to presidents of small and medium-sized enterprises for a long time.” Thereofore, commemorating my hundred-year-old birthday, I revived “the cultural reward club” to make a final push.
Written by Toyoo Toyozawa
Honorary Chairperson of Higashi-Kuninomiya Memorial Association
November 8, 1997
The Award expanded for the people all over the world
On February 11, 2010, Mr. Toyoo Toyozawa, the first president of Higashi-Kuninomiya Memorial Association passed away at the age of 102. He called me and Mr. Fumiyasu Akegawa and said the following.
"Honoring business in Japan was formed in my lifetime. I want you to expand it to the world in the future. The thought of Prince Higashikuni Morihiro should be delivered not only Japan but to the world and human beings...".
I myself also received the Higashi-Kuninomiya Culture Award in 2007. I appointed Mr. Akegawa, a chairperson of DEVNET JAPAN of United Nation's DEVNET INTERNATIONAL the person in charge of International Division to promote our business.Currently, I as the second chair, together with Mr. Akegawa, am focusing our efforts on the internationalization of this honor business.
Written by Yasuhiro Yoshimura
Chairperson of Higashi-Kuninomiya Memorial Association
Fumiyasu Akegawa
Chairperson of Higashi-Kuninomiya International Culture Award Memorial Foundation
- The Genealogy of Higashi-Kuninomya Family
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Family Tree of Imperial Houshold , Kuninomiya and Higashi-Kuninomiya Family
Prince Morihiro took Princess Terunomiya Shigeko, the first princess of Emperor Shouwa, as his empress. Emperor Naruhiko, his father, was the nineth prince of Emperor Asahiko who took Princess Yasunomiya Toshiko, the 9th princess of Emperor Meiji, as his empress. Empress Kojun, the empress of Emperor Showa, was the first princess of Emperor Kunihiko, the older brother of Emperor Naruhiko. These show that Higashi-Kuninomiya family has deeper blood connection to the Imperial Household of Japan.
*note
The imperial family name with the word "miya" at the end represents that male descendents of the family have the right to success the Imperial Thrown.
Imperial Family of Emperor Shouwa with family
of Prince Higashi-Kuninomiya Morihiro
- Award Eligibility Requirements
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- A person or a corporation who affects the basis of the activities of Japanese or international organization, and contributes to society in various fields. - A person or a corporation who rendered distinguished discovery or invention in scientific and research discipline. - A person, a corporation or a corporation manager who gave satisfactory results in fields not limited to academic by developing or making pracable advanced technologies. - A person or a corporation who rendered distinguished service in litarature, art, music and entertainment fields. - A person, a corporation or a corporation manager who contributed to mass culture through creating popular products or promotion of industry in regardless of the current and the past. - A person, a corporation or a corporation manager who deeply understands the importance of intellectual property and employs or fosters patent copyright experts in its organization. - A person, a corporation or a corporation manager who currently posesses patents or copyrights which are highly appreciated in society. - A person, a corporation, an vocational leader or a corporation manager who made a remarkable result such as progress in safety or productivity through suggestions for improvement. - A person or an organization who humanely or socially made a remarkable result such as improvement of regional welfare and education through activities like volunteerism. - A corporation or a corporation manager who made a remarkable result in fields of renewal of earth environment, revitalizing city, creation of farmland, poverty eradication and other challenges which are today's serious global issues. - A corporation or a corporation manager who made a remarkable result through employing, promoting and educating women. - A dceased person who fullfils the above condition. revised as of Aug 2017
- Excerpt of Award Winners
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Political Leaders
Former Prime Ministers of Japan
Yasuhiro Nakasone, Takeo Miki, Noboru Takeshita
Former Govenor of Tokyo
Yukio Aoshima
Entertainers
Comic Storytellers
Kingoro Yanagiya, Nekohachi Edoya, Enka Sanyutei, Yonemaru Katsura
Artist
Japanese Traditional Woodblock Artist (Ukiyoe)
Shusui Taki
Business Persons
The president of TOYOTA Motor Corporation
Kiichiro Toyota
The president of Mabuchi Motor Co., Ltd., the world no.1 motor manufacturer
Kenichi Mabuchi
Chairman of DEVNET JAPAN, NPO certified by United Nations
Fumiyasu Akegawa
Business Woman
Datin Haruyo Lowe
Overseas
[USA]Professor Emeritus of Colorado State University, Doctor of Zoology
Kiichiro Matsushima
[Korea]Chairman of Society of Public Administration, Former member of Presidential Policy Advisory Board
Yoo, Jong-Hae
[Korea]Former Presidential Private Secretary of Economic Affairs
Han, Jun-Sok
And more than 1,000 other winners so far.
- Foundation and Contact Information
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Higashi-Kuninomiya International Culture Award Memorial Foundation conducts "Higashi-Kuninomiya International Culture Award" as an international section of Higashi-Kuninomiya Memorial Association.
- Corporate Name
- Higashi-Kuninomiya International Culture Award Memorial Foundation
- Tokyo Head Office
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6-4-3 Shinbashi Minatoku Tokyo Japan (105-0004)
Phone：+81-3-5733-5895
Fax: +81-3-5733-5898
*Contact by E-mail to the address below will be appreciated
- Fukuoka Branch
- 406 3-15-6 Matsuda Higashiku Fukuokashi Fukuoka Japan (812-0064)
Phone：+81-92-400-4212
*Contact by E-mail to the adress above will be appreciated - Date of the Founding
- May 17th, 2011
- Representative
- Chairman of Director Board : Fumiyasu Akegawa
- Occupation
- Conduct of Higashi-Kuninomiya International Culture Award
English Guidence )