The Japanese government announced on Saturday that it will award manga creator Moto Hagio with the Spring 2012 Medal With Purple Ribbon, which honors academic and artistic achievement.
The award is given twice a year, and 674 individuals and 20 organisations are receiving it this spring, including actor Kōji Yakusho (Shall We Dance?).
As part of the award, Hagio and other recipients will hear comments from the Japanese Emperor. A number of titles by Hagio have been or will be released in English, such as the Fantagraphics editions of Heart of Thomas (Thomas no Shinzō) and A Drunken Dream and Other Stories.
source: ANN