Foreign Minister's Commendation Honoring Yonsei Basketball Association
2023/1/24
On August 4, 2022, (Japan Standard Time), the Government of Japan announced the recipients of its 2022 Foreign Minister’s Commendations. From the jurisdiction of the Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles, Yonsei Basketball Association was awarded.
The Foreign Minister's Commendations are awarded to individuals and groups of outstanding achievements in international fields, to acknowledge their contribution to the promotion of friendship between Japan and other countries. The Commendation also aims to promote the understanding and support of the Japanese public for their activities.
Following are Yonsei Basketball Association’s profile and its contributions leading to their being awarded the Foreign Minister’s Commendation:
Yonsei Basketball Association is a non-profit organization founded in 1993 by a group of Southern California Japanese Americans interested in establishing a cultural exchange program for middle school-aged youth, using basketball as the vehicle. The organization strives to provide eighth-grade boys and girls the opportunity to explore their Japanese heritage and experience the ground of their cultural roots firsthand by coordinating their travel to prominent cities in Japan. To date, through this program about 600 people from Southern California have visited Japan and about 600 young people from Japan have visited Southern California to learn about each other's culture through basketball.
In addition, since 2000 the Yonsei Basketball Association has awarded a scholarship program to nearly 100 high school senior students who are interested in Japanese culture. Yonsei Basketball Association has contributed greatly to friendship and cultural exchange between Japan and the United States through exchange activities and the training of young people through sports.
Yonsei Basketball Association
The Foreign Minister's Commendations are awarded to individuals and groups of outstanding achievements in international fields, to acknowledge their contribution to the promotion of friendship between Japan and other countries. The Commendation also aims to promote the understanding and support of the Japanese public for their activities.
Following are Yonsei Basketball Association’s profile and its contributions leading to their being awarded the Foreign Minister’s Commendation:
Yonsei Basketball Association is a non-profit organization founded in 1993 by a group of Southern California Japanese Americans interested in establishing a cultural exchange program for middle school-aged youth, using basketball as the vehicle. The organization strives to provide eighth-grade boys and girls the opportunity to explore their Japanese heritage and experience the ground of their cultural roots firsthand by coordinating their travel to prominent cities in Japan. To date, through this program about 600 people from Southern California have visited Japan and about 600 young people from Japan have visited Southern California to learn about each other's culture through basketball.
In addition, since 2000 the Yonsei Basketball Association has awarded a scholarship program to nearly 100 high school senior students who are interested in Japanese culture. Yonsei Basketball Association has contributed greatly to friendship and cultural exchange between Japan and the United States through exchange activities and the training of young people through sports.
Yonsei Basketball Association
Award Ceremony
The Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles held a ceremony for the conferment of the 2022 Foreign Minister’s Commendation upon Yonsei Basketball Association on Friday, January 20, 2023.
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| Mr. Scott Kohno and Mrs. Kathy Ikari, former and current presidents of the Yonsei Basketball Association receive the Foreign Minister's Commendation certificate from Consul General Sone |
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| Assembled guests at the ceremony |