Nippon Honor Award

Koji YAKUSHO, superstar of Japanese cinema, will receive the NIPPON HONOR AWARD, sponsored by Japan Airlines, at the 17th NIPPON CONNECTION Film Festival. The award ceremony will take place during the closing ceremony on May 28, 2017 at Künstlerhaus Mousonturm.

About Koji YAKUSHO

Koji YAKUSHO, Japan’s most internationally-renowned film actor, was born in Nagasaki in 1956. Discovered and trained by acting legend Tatsuya NAKADAI, he had his breakthrough with an unforgettable performance as the nameless “Man in the White Suit” in Juzo ITAMI’s 1985 cult film TAMPOPO. He finally achieved superstardom as lead actor in the instant classic and box-office hit SHALL WE DANCE (1996) by Masayuki SUO. YAKUSHO has worked with many important directors of Japanese cinema, including Shohei IMAMURA and Kiyoshi KUROSAWA. A wider international audience became familiar with him through his engagement in the Oscar winning U.S. drama BABEL (2006) by Alejandro González Iñárritu. In addition to his acting career, he made his directing debut with the critically acclaimed TOAD’S OIL (2009). In 2012, he was awarded the Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon by the Emperor of Japan.