Commendation Ceremony of 2021 Japan Agricultural Achievement Awards
2022/5/11
Consul General Akira Muto hosted the commendation ceremony of the Agricultural Society of Japan’s 2021 Agricultural Achievement Awards for Mr. Hisamori Iwashita and Mr. Yoshito Matsuno at the Consul General’s Official Residence on Thursday, April 14th 2022.
Details below:
Commendation Ceremony of the Japan Agricultural Achievement Awards
(1) Biography and Reasons for commendation
Mr. Iwashita has served as Chairman of the Southern California Gardeners' Federation since 2018 and has contributed to the development of the garden industry in the community. He started the gardening business and landscaping business in 1968, and the Japanese gardening business in 1978. While engaging in these businesses, he has been energetically working on social activities of the Japanese American community and frendship between Japan and the United States. In 2012 and 2013, he served as Chairman of the Japanese Prefectures Association of Southern California, an organization that facilitates exchanges between Japan and Japanese-American societies in this area. The ordinal term of office is one year because the chairmanship is very busy, but he has been working for two years at the request of the officers. As a volunteer, he has been cooperating in the maintenance of Japanese gardens in Japanese society, and when he was appointed as Chairman of the Japanese Prefectures Association of Southern California, he participated in the volunteer maintenance services activities about 50 times a year.
Mr. Matsuno established Green Valley Floral Co., Ltd. in Salinas in 1973 and started carnation cultivation. Although flower cultivation was very popular in Salinas, it was hit hard when cheaper flowers were exported to the United States from countries with lower wages in South America. Under such circumstances, as a result of working very hard with family on the cultivation of roses with ingenuity, he received numerous awards at national competitions. He has established a solid position as a flower grower. In 2020, he was selected as one of the top 100 growers in the United States by the industry magazine "Green House Magazine".
(2) The Agricultural Society of Japan’s Commendation Ceremony
Mr. Iwashita and Mr. Matsuno's commendation ceremony was held at the Consul General’s Official Residence from 1:00 pm, April 14, 2022, with family members, friends and colleagues, while Mr. Matsuno participated virtually from Salinas, California. Consul General Akira Muto offered congratulations, and presented the certificate of commendation and the ribbon of the Green-White Achievement Award to them. Congratulatory remarks were delivered by Mr. Shinkichi Koyama, President of the Southern California Chapter of the Agricultural Society of Japan, Mr. Richard Watanabe, President, the Japanese Prefectures Association of Southern California, and Mr. Tak Nishi, Advisor, the Japanese Prefectures Association of Southern California; and honored both of their achievements.
Thereupon, Mr. Iwashita expressed his gratitude to his guests and family, and indicated that he will continue to work for the development of the U.S.-Japan friendship. And also, Mr. Matsuno gave thanks to his guests and family, and shared a short clip of a video of the Matsuno family from the film “Dream Blossoms”, the documentary film about Mr. Zenichiro Uchida who helped over 300 Japanese from Kagoshima prefectureimmigrate to California in the mid 1950’s.
After that, Mr. Haruo Takehana, President, the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Southern California, offered a toast, and then a reception followed.
Details below:
Commendation Ceremony of the Japan Agricultural Achievement Awards
(1) Biography and Reasons for commendation
Mr. Iwashita has served as Chairman of the Southern California Gardeners' Federation since 2018 and has contributed to the development of the garden industry in the community. He started the gardening business and landscaping business in 1968, and the Japanese gardening business in 1978. While engaging in these businesses, he has been energetically working on social activities of the Japanese American community and frendship between Japan and the United States. In 2012 and 2013, he served as Chairman of the Japanese Prefectures Association of Southern California, an organization that facilitates exchanges between Japan and Japanese-American societies in this area. The ordinal term of office is one year because the chairmanship is very busy, but he has been working for two years at the request of the officers. As a volunteer, he has been cooperating in the maintenance of Japanese gardens in Japanese society, and when he was appointed as Chairman of the Japanese Prefectures Association of Southern California, he participated in the volunteer maintenance services activities about 50 times a year.
Mr. Matsuno established Green Valley Floral Co., Ltd. in Salinas in 1973 and started carnation cultivation. Although flower cultivation was very popular in Salinas, it was hit hard when cheaper flowers were exported to the United States from countries with lower wages in South America. Under such circumstances, as a result of working very hard with family on the cultivation of roses with ingenuity, he received numerous awards at national competitions. He has established a solid position as a flower grower. In 2020, he was selected as one of the top 100 growers in the United States by the industry magazine "Green House Magazine".
(2) The Agricultural Society of Japan’s Commendation Ceremony
Mr. Iwashita and Mr. Matsuno's commendation ceremony was held at the Consul General’s Official Residence from 1:00 pm, April 14, 2022, with family members, friends and colleagues, while Mr. Matsuno participated virtually from Salinas, California. Consul General Akira Muto offered congratulations, and presented the certificate of commendation and the ribbon of the Green-White Achievement Award to them. Congratulatory remarks were delivered by Mr. Shinkichi Koyama, President of the Southern California Chapter of the Agricultural Society of Japan, Mr. Richard Watanabe, President, the Japanese Prefectures Association of Southern California, and Mr. Tak Nishi, Advisor, the Japanese Prefectures Association of Southern California; and honored both of their achievements.
Thereupon, Mr. Iwashita expressed his gratitude to his guests and family, and indicated that he will continue to work for the development of the U.S.-Japan friendship. And also, Mr. Matsuno gave thanks to his guests and family, and shared a short clip of a video of the Matsuno family from the film “Dream Blossoms”, the documentary film about Mr. Zenichiro Uchida who helped over 300 Japanese from Kagoshima prefectureimmigrate to California in the mid 1950’s.
After that, Mr. Haruo Takehana, President, the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Southern California, offered a toast, and then a reception followed.
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| Remarks by Mr. Iwashita |
Remarks by Mr. Matsuno |
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| (L-R) Mr. Iwashita, Mr. Arai, on behalf of Mr. Matsuno, Mr. & Mrs. Matsuno (on screen), Consul General Muto | Group photo in front of the Japanese garden donated by the Agricultural Society of Japan |