The Sainsbury Institute and its Executive Director, Professor Simon Kaner, have received the Foreign Minister’s Commendations from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan in recognition of their work within the field of Japanese arts and cultures.
Closely following the recent news of being selected to receive the Japan Foundation Award in 2024, the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures is delighted to announce that it has also been awarded the Foreign Minister’s Commendations from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan for the year 2024. Such commendations are awarded to individuals and institutions for ‘outstanding achievements in international fields’ relating to Japan. To be awarded two such prestigious awards in the same year is testament to the hard work of all those involved at the Institute over the years and the important role that it plays at a local, national and international level for promoting the study of Japanese arts and cultures. This top-level endorsement from the Japanese government coincides with a landmark year for the Institute as it celebrates its 25th anniversary this year with an ambitious programme of events, projects, and activities.
The goods news continued as it was also announced that Professor Simon Kaner, Executive Director of the Institute, was also to be recognised in the commendations as an individual for his work in the promotion of and contribution to studies in Japanese culture.
Professor Simon Kaner noted:
“The Institute was already delighted to have been selected as a recipient of the important Japan Foundation Award, so to also receive such a prestigious commendation from the Japanese government has been a tremendous honour for us all. The Sainsbury Institute is able to continue to be at the forefront of its field 25 years after its foundation through the hard work and engagement of all of our supporters, staff, friends, and audiences. We are very grateful to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan for both the individual and organisation commendations.”
The awards will be presented to both the Institute and Simon at an awards ceremony later this year, further details of which will be announced in due course. Lists of the other recipients of this year’s commendations can be found on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website – and also includes Dr John Carpenter (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York) and Professor Timon Screech (Emeritus Professor, SOAS) who were both instrumental to the Institute’s activities in its early years, and Professor Sharalyn Orbaugh of the University of British Columbia, whose work includes visuality and Japanese literature.
Preparations are now well underway for the Institute’s 25th anniversary conference in London on Saturday 09 November, which will look forward to the next 25 years and explore future directions in the study of Japanese arts and cultures. Further details will be announced on the Institute’s website and in their monthly e-newsletter, due to be circulated in early September.
Image: Morning Glory. Cortazzi Collection. Lisa Sainsbury Library.