Japan’s People’s Honor Award Recipients
Speed skater Takagi Miho is set to become the latest recipient of Japan’s People’s Honor Award on August 4.
The People’s Honor Award was established by Prime Minister Fukuda Takeo in 1977 to honor individuals whose accomplishments have inspired society. The award was initially created to celebrate professional baseball player Oh Sadaharu, who broke American slugger Hank Aaron’s record for career home runs. As of July 28, 2026, the government has decided to bestow the award upon speed skater Takagi Miho.
Throughout her career, Takagi has achieved remarkable success, winning an individual gold medal in the women’s 1,000-meter competition at the Beijing Olympics in 2022. She has also accumulated a total of 10 Olympic medals, the highest number for any female Japanese athlete.
In total, 28 individuals have received the People’s Honor Award, with 12 of them receiving the accolade posthumously. Furthermore, in 2011, the national women’s soccer team, known as Nadeshiko Japan, made history by becoming the first group to receive this prestigious award.
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