November 3, 2002－－－Herbert Keppler, Vice President / Publishing Director, POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY magazine, will be honored for his outstanding contributions to the development of the Japanese camera industry and the promotion of the understanding of Japan. The Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Rosette will be bestowed upon Mr. Keppler on December 9, 2002 during a ceremony to be held at the official residence of Consul General of Japan in New York.

Mr. Keppler is widely acknowledged to be a leading figure in the field of photography. After having been graduated from Harvard College, Mr. Keppler took an editorial position at "Modern Photography", a major photo enthusiast magazine, and has since been active in this field in a variety of capacities: lecturing, publishing, writing, editing and advising.

During the 1950's, Japanese products were widely dismissed as 'cheap and inferior'. Despite this image, Mr. Keppler impartially assessed these products and recognized the excellence of Japanese cameras and lenses. He communicated this to the American public through his published critiques. He therefore made a substantial contribution to the elimination of the bias held by the general public against the quality of Japanese products. In this manner, he helped to create a hospitable exporting environment in the U.S. for Japanese cameras and industrial products.

Mr. Keppler regularly travels to Japan, where he meets with the management and engineering staff of many camera manufacturers. During these meetings, Mr. Keppler advises them on consumer likes, dislikes and needs, thus helping to promote innovative and targeted product development by Japanese manufacturers.