Japan announces 2026 cultural and regional merit award recipients

The Japanese government has announced the recipients for the 2026 cultural and regional merit awards. Among the 21 individuals selected for cultural merit is jazz saxophonist Sadao Watanabe, a native of Utsunomiya. Watanabe is the first jazz saxophonist to receive this honor, including the Order of Culture, and is the oldest recipient in this group.

In Chiba Prefecture, the General Affairs Department has identified 61 individuals for various merit awards to be presented on November 3, 2026. These honors span several categories, including environmental conservation, commerce and industry, land development, and health and welfare.

Notable Chiba recipients include Takaya Asano for his long-term efforts in septic tank maintenance and water environment awareness, Hiroyuki Terada for his leadership in the concrete products industry and digital transformation, and Satoshi Sakai for his contributions to water and sewage infrastructure and disaster response coordination.