The Japanese foreign minister awarded his commendation to Mimi Gates, director of the Seattle Art Museum. As director of Yale University’s art gallery for nearly seven years, and director of Seattle Art Museum for over 14 years, Gates has achieved outstanding success in the U.S.-Japan cultural exchange field by organizing Japanese art exhibitions and a variety of educational and cultural programs in the U.S. and Japan.
Gates has recently announced that she will remain at her post as director at SAM until July 2009. The award conferment ceremony will take place on Sept. 9.