Conferment Ceremony of Foreign Minister’s Commendation for Mr. Toshio Ueno
2023/12/12
On August 16, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan announced the recipients of the Foreign Minister’s Commendations for 2023. Within the jurisdiction of the Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles, Mr. Toshio Ueno was awarded.
On December 6, 2023 the Conferment Ceremony of Foreign Minister’s Commendation for Mr. Toshio Ueno was held at the Official Residence of the Consul General of Japan in Los Angeles. The Foreign Minister's Commendations are awarded to individuals and groups of outstanding achievements in international fields in order 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.
Mr. Ueno was awarded the Foreign Minister’s Commendation in recognition of his promotion of Japanese culture in the United States through his activities including Sake School of America.
Mr. Ueno, also appointed as Goodwill Ambassador to Promote Japanese Cuisine, founded the Sake School of America with Mr. Noritoshi Kanai in 2010 to promote sake and shochu in the United States. At the school, he has been conducting certification programs for sake sommeliers and shochu advisors mainly in North America, and the number of certified sake sommeliers and shochu advisors has reached over 2,800. He has been invited as a judge to many sake competitions around the world, and has also promoted Japanese sake by organizing competitions and certification courses outside of the United States.


On December 6, 2023 the Conferment Ceremony of Foreign Minister’s Commendation for Mr. Toshio Ueno was held at the Official Residence of the Consul General of Japan in Los Angeles. The Foreign Minister's Commendations are awarded to individuals and groups of outstanding achievements in international fields in order 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.
Mr. Ueno was awarded the Foreign Minister’s Commendation in recognition of his promotion of Japanese culture in the United States through his activities including Sake School of America.
Mr. Ueno, also appointed as Goodwill Ambassador to Promote Japanese Cuisine, founded the Sake School of America with Mr. Noritoshi Kanai in 2010 to promote sake and shochu in the United States. At the school, he has been conducting certification programs for sake sommeliers and shochu advisors mainly in North America, and the number of certified sake sommeliers and shochu advisors has reached over 2,800. He has been invited as a judge to many sake competitions around the world, and has also promoted Japanese sake by organizing competitions and certification courses outside of the United States.

