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Conferment Ceremony, 2013 Japanese Foreign Minister Commendation (September 10th, 2013)
A conferment ceremony was held for a 2013 Japanese Foreign Minister Commendation recipient, Mr. Ronald Yetsuo Otsuka, who is the Dr. Joseph de Heer Curator of Asian Art in the Asian Art Department of the Denver Art Museum. The ceremony was held at the Official Residence of the Consul General on September 10, with Consul General Ono presiding. The Consul General expressed his appreciation for Mr. Otsuka’s long time efforts and dedication toward spreading Japanese arts since 1973 at the Denver Art Museum, which is one of the biggest museums in the Rocky Mountain region, and offered sincere congratulations to Mr. Otsuka for this recognition. In response, Mr. Otsuka mentioned that he was honored to receive the award and expressed his appreciation for the many people who have supported him over time. The ceremony was attended by about 50 people including family members and friends, as well as Dr. Christoph Heinrich, the Frederick and Jan Mayer Director of the Denver Art Museum, and Richard Clark, former president of the Japan America Society of Colorado. Mr. Clark is also a past recipient of this award, as he was conferred with it in 2012.