Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held a ceremony to present the National Honor Award at Tokyo Dome to Mr. Shigeo Nagashima and Mr. Hideki Matsui, and awarded them with the certificate of commendation, the shield and the commemorative gift.

Mr. Shigeo Nagashima has left numerous outstanding achievements in the history of Japanese baseball with his fighting spirit and his ability to succeed in tough situations. As a national star in the baseball world admired by many Japanese people and loved by all, Mr. Nagashima made significant contributions to the development of baseball and his accomplishments both deeply move the Japanese people and deliver hopes and dreams to society.

Mr. Hideki Matsui has left his mark in a new territory in baseball by producing global achievements on both the Japanese and U.S. stages with his tireless effort and wholehearted play. Furthermore, he is loved and respected by many in Japan and the U.S, and his numerous achievements have brought inspiration and joy to the Japanese people, stirring the hopes and dreams of many youths throughout the country.

To honor the accomplishments of these two individuals, the decision was made to present them with the National Honor Award.

The National Honor Award was established in August 1977 to honor those persons, respected by a broad spectrum of the people, whose distinguished accomplishments have brought the light of hope to society.