The Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award is given to individuals
who have contributed to the development of the computer game industry
and thus to Akihiro Hino of the LEVEL-5 Inc. was selected for the award.

Mr. Hino and his team set out numerous hits such as "Professor Layton series,"
"Inazuma Eleven series," collaborative works with STUDIO GHIBLI, "Ni no Kuni,"
and "Danball Senki."
Further, "Yo-Kai Watch" which was released last year provided a number of
derived contents starting from the games by cross media development to
TV animation, manga, and toys.

The work brought a big social movement involving children to adults, shows the
potential and superiority as a content of the game, and it has been evaluated for
the award on its contribution to the development of the industry.

<Objective of indroducing the METI Award>
Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association (CESA) understands
computer entertainment software as a cultural form and is holding
this event since 1996 to celebrate the 18th anniversary this year for
the purposes to vitalize and contribute to development of the
computer entertainment software industry.

The Japan Game Awards have been selecting and awarding
excellent videogame software in three categories of
"Game of the Year Division", "Future Division" and "Amateur Division".

While the awards were formerly given only to videogame software,
the "METI Award" was introduced last year which is to be awarded
both to videogame software and persons/group of persons which
and who are supporting the videogame industry to make the system
"more open and meaningful award system".

<Selection Criteria for the METI Award>
The prize is awarded to those who have contributed to the development
of the videogame industry through creation of excellent products or
expanded the scope of the videogame industry using a new expression,
technology, etc.Persons and group of persons are eligible to receive the award.

≫ Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award Division