Japan to honor astronomer who helped capture first black hole image
Mareki Honma and artist Yoshitomo Nara are among those selected for the Medal with Purple Ribbon in Japan’s autumn honors.
Japan’s government has named astronomer Mareki Honma among 736 people and 25 organizations chosen for Medals of Honor this autumn. Honma helped produce the first image of a black hole through an international research effort.
Aged 55, Honma is a professor at Japan’s National Astronomical Observatory and led Japan’s team in the Event Horizon Telescope project. The collaboration connected radio telescopes worldwide to photograph a black hole. He will receive the Medal with Purple Ribbon, recognizing achievement in academia, sports or the arts.
The government also selected contemporary artist Yoshitomo Nara, 66, for that medal, citing his contribution to Japan’s contemporary art. His work includes dogs and images of girls with oversized, cartoon-like eyes. Fellow recipients include surgical medicine specialist Yuko Kitagawa, 66, who is Keio University’s vice president, and University of Tokyo electronic engineering professor Takao Someya, 58.
Naoki Iimori, 64, who heads Fukuchiyo Shuzo, the sake producer behind the Nabeshima brand, was chosen for the Medal with Blue Ribbon. That distinction recognizes contributions to industry and social welfare.
Women account for 160 of the 736 individual recipients. The Purple Ribbon will be presented to 13 people, one of them a woman; 443 people will receive the Blue Ribbon, including 132 women.
