The government said Thursday that it will award the Medal of Honor to 684 people and 26 organizations this autumn, including novelist Keigo Higashino and poet Machi Tawara.
Higashino, 65, and Tawara, 60, will be given the Medal with Purple Ribbon, which is for those with accomplishments in arts, education or sports.
Higashino has released highly entertaining works in the mystery genre for many years, including "The Devotion of Suspect X," which was adapted into a film. He is recognized for engaging readers with his deep human depictions and colorful mysteries.
Tawara has created many excellent tanka Japanese short poems with her novel style. Her activities across a variety of fields, including the writing of lyrics, plays and column articles, were also cited as the reason for her award.
Masahiro Tatsumisago, 67, president of Osaka Metropolitan University, who contributed to the development of solid-state lithium batteries, and Hiroshi Ono, 65, deputy director of the Riken Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, were also picked for the Medal with Purple Ribbon.
The Medal with Purple Ribbon will be awarded to 11 people. The Medal with Yellow Ribbon, mainly for those in agriculture and industry, will be awarded to 235 people. The Medal with Blue Ribbon, which honors people who have contributed to social welfare, will be given to 423 people.
The Medal with Green Ribbon, presented to recognize social service activities, will go to 10 people and 26 organizations, while the Medal with Red Ribbon, awarded to individuals who have risked themselves to save the lives of others, will be given to five people.