On May 20, 2021, the Deputy Consul from the Japanese Consulate in NYC, Mr. Futoshi Matsumotoi, visited Rochester, New York, to present the certificate of the 2020 Japan Foreign Minister’s commendation to INAF Executive Director Thomas Hsiang. See https://twitter.com/JapanCons_NY/status/1395385471568592907 and https://www.usgo.org/news/2020/12/aga-ivp-thomas-hsiang-awarded-japanese-foreign-ministers-commendation/

Mr. Hsiang was recognized for “his outstanding achievements in promoting Go internationally and in fostering friendship between Japan and other countries and areas”. Hsiang is a long-time international vice president of the American Go Association, a vice president of the International Go Federation, and the secretary general of the International Mind Sport Association. He was one of the principal organizers for a number of international mind-sport tournaments, including the two versions of the quadrennial World Mind Sport Games. He and former Nihon Kiin Chairman Norio Wada founded INAF in 2014, the first Western foundation dedicated to the promotion of Go.