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Vagabond's Inoue Receives Award from Hometown

The manga creator Takehiko Inoue (Vagabond, Slam Dunk, Buzzer Beater) received the Japanese government's Medal of Honor with Dark Blue Ribbon award from his hometown of Isa, Kagoshima Prefecture on Friday.

Inoue made a monetary contribution of an undisclosed amount to the city through the furusato nōzei (hometown tax) system. The Medal of Honor with Dark Blue Ribbon goes to individuals who donate more than 5 million yen (about US$65,000) to government institutions towards public well being. This is the first time in Kagoshima Prefecture that such a merit award has been given because of a hometown tax system contribution. According to his Inoue's wishes, his contribution will go towards children and the promotion of youth health in Isa.

The Japanese government established the hometown tax system in 2008. It allows taxpayers to donate money to a prefectural or municipal government designated as their hometown instead of paying those taxes to the government in the area where they reside. People choosing that option receive a nearly equal deduction on resident and income taxes for the next year. In light of the Eastern Japan Earthquake (Higashi Nihon Daishinsai) disaster, such contributions to the prefectural governments of Fukushima, Iwate and Miyagi through the hometown tax system between March 11 and June reached 95 times that of the entire 2009 fiscal year.

On November 4, Inoue announced on Twitter that he is now drafting the layouts for the return of his Vagabond samurai adventure manga series.

Source: Yomiuri Shimbun