Epson President Minoru Usui has been awarded the prestigious Japanese government Medal with Blue Ribbon that will be presented this month in Tokyo and be followed by an audience with His Majesty the Emperor Akihito.
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| Epson President Minoru Usui |
"It is a tremendous honour to receive the Medal with a Blue Ribbon,” said Usui. “It would not have been possible without the support of countless other individuals, to whom I am profoundly grateful.
"One of the main reasons cited for this honour was colour inkjet printers–products that I am proud to say contributed significantly to the spread and advancement of digital photo printing. The colour inkjet printers we developed provided photo-quality prints at a price that was affordable to ordinary consumers, and this created a culture in which we empowered anyone to easily and conveniently print photos at home. Along the way, I think we were able to contribute to the popularization and advancement of the digital photo printing culture, including digital camera photo printing and the development of inkjet-printed New Year's greeting postcards in Japan.
"As a company executive, I look forward to the challenge of developing new products in different areas, creating new markets, contributing to industrial and cultural development, and making Epson an indispensable company."
Six types of medals, each with a different ribbon colour (red, green, yellow, purple, blue, and dark blue), are conferred to individuals who have made notable achievements in one of six areas. The Medal with a Blue Ribbon is presented to individuals who have made outstanding contributions in areas such as the advancement of industry and the promotion of public welfare and education through their business activities or work with other groups or organizations.
The 2018 autumn medals of honours will be presented in a ceremony on November 14 at the Tokyo Prince Hotel, followed by an audience with His Majesty the Emperor Akihito at the Imperial Palace.
Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the Epson Group comprises more than 81,000 employees in 85 companies around the world, including Australia.