The Japan Imperial Decoration for Mr. William Joseph HYBL and Mr. Ronald Yetsuo OTSUKA

On April 29, the Government of Japan announced that Mr. William Joseph HYBL, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of El Pomar Foundation, has been named as a recipient of the Japan Imperial Decoration, the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon, and also Mr. Ronald Yetsuo OTSUKA, former Curator of Asian art at the Denver Art Museum, has been named as a recipient of the Japan Imperial Decoration, the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays.
Mr. William Joseph HYBL, President Emeritus of the United States Olympic Committee, is a grand person of the Committee who played an active role to promote international exchanges through sports. When he was President of the Committee, he promoted sport exchange between two countries, and also supported the convening of the John Manjiro Summit as an human exchange activity on a grassroots level between both countries.
Mr. Ronald Yetsuo OTSUKA has been Curator of Asian Art for more than 40 years at the Denver Art Museum, which is the largest museum in the mid-western states. He has made great efforts to promote Japanese art, increased the Japanese art collection in the museum to 2400 pieces to the top level in America and organized a large number of Japanese art exhibitions.