Yoshimaro Hanaki, president and CEO of Okuma Corporation, has been awarded the Japanese honour medal ‘The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon’.

The company (www.okuma.com) said: “This medal honours our president’s long-time contribution to the growth of the machine tool industry and the benefits our company’s activities have brought to society.”

The award ceremony was held at the Imperial Palace.

Mr Hanaki said: “I am deeply pleased and honoured to receive this prestigious award. Receipt of it does not simply reflect on me personally, as I am very thankful for the guidance, patronage and full support which I have received from so many people and our customers both inside and outside Japan.

"Special thanks also go to our domestic and overseas employees.”

Medals of Honour are awarded by the Government of Japan to persons who have significantly contributed to society.

The medal awarded to Mr Hanaki is a special one for those who have “made distinguished achievements in international relations, promotion of Japanese culture, advancements in their field, development in welfare or preservation of the environment”.

Okuma Corporation, a world leader in CNC machine tools, was founded in 1898 in Nagoya, Japan.

It is the industry’s only single-source provider, with the CNC machine, drive, motors, encoders, spindle and CNC system all manufactured by Okuma.