Seiko - Shinji Hattori honored with the Blue Ribbon Medal
This award is given to those who, in the words of the commendation, "have made important contributions to the benefit of the public or have made remarkable efforts in service to the public in the domain of education, medicine, welfare and industry."
The category of the achievement determines the color of the ribbon. There are red, green, yellow, purple, blue and dark blue. This Spring's medal ceremony will take place on May 16.
Hattori has placed high value upon the importance of continuous technological innovation as the key strength of Japanese watch making and, under his leadership, Seiko has increased its global fame as one of the world's very finest vertically integrated producer of watches with high added value. Furthermore, he has enhanced the value of the Seiko brand in the luxury watch segment.
"I would like to thank everybody who has supported me in my time so far as the President and Group CEO of Seiko, thereby making possible this award, of which I am very proud", said Shinji Hattori. "Since its foundation in 1881, Seiko has continuously launched innovative products including the Japan's first wristwatch "Laurel", the world's first quartz watch, the automatic generating quartz watch. Like my predecessors, we have followed the credo of the founder Kintaro Hattori who decreed that Seiko should be "Always one step ahead of the rest." I will continue to follow the lead set by Kintaro, my great grandfather, and to further strengthen the image of Japan's fine watchmaking.