Journey to Washington Sponsored by Nitto Tire Wins 2014 NY Festival Award

CYPRESS, Calif., April 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The documentary Journey to Washington: On the Trail of Senator Inouye, Japanese-American Pioneer was awarded the prestigious New York Festival bronze award within the category of best "Biography/Profile." This documentary was made possible by the generous support of Nitto Tire U.S.A. Inc., a division of Toyo Tire Holdings of Americas Inc., and was produced by Fujisankei Communications International (FCI), the American arm of the Japanese media conglomerate Fujisankei Communications Group (FCG). 

Journey to Washington was shot over a two-year period while closely following Daniel Inouye, the nation's first Japanese-American senator who proudly represented the state of Hawaii from 1965 until his death in 2012. Senator Inouye was also a decorated World War II veteran and Medal of Honor recipient whose story represents the many challenges that Japanese Americans faced during World War II. Despite the U.S. government's internment of Japanese descendants after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Inouye joined the segregated Nisei-only battalion to prove his American loyalty. He was an honest man, well-regarded on Capitol Hill and was a true American hero working for the people. Senator Inouye opened the road to Washington and helped create a new frontier for many Japanese-Americans in the U.S. At the time of his passing, he was the highest-ranking Asian American senator and President Pro Tempore of the senate, making him third in the presidential line of succession.

The documentary Journey to Washington provides deep and personal insight into the Senator's life and values, not only as a politician, but also as a patriot, war veteran, and Japanese-American icon. "Senator Inouye is commonly regarded as a 'star among stars' within the Japanese-American Communities," explains Tomo Mizutani, President of Toyo Tire Holdings of Americas. "He was an inspiration to many Japanese business leaders including myself, committing his life to fighting the discriminatory treatment many Japanese-Americans experienced after the attack on Peal Harbor. His achievements as a U.S. Senator helped pave the way for many of us today."

The New York Festival started in 1957 and is a globally recognized international awards event, reflecting a broad set of categories covering television, film, radio, marketing, and internet media.  Every year seventy countries from around the world participate in the festival. For the film categories alone, over fifty countries were represented this year, competing for a variety of awards segmented by gold, silver and bronze.

More information on the Journey to Washington documentary can be found at www.newyorkfestivals.com.  

More Information on Nitto Tire U.S.A. Inc. can be found at www.nittotire.com; Facebook www.facebook.com/NittoTire; and on Twitter @NittoTire.   

About Nitto Tire U.S.A. Inc.
Nitto Tire (www.nittotire.com) develops performance tires for all uses, including racing, off-road and street. Using state-of-the-art manufacturing and testing facilities in Japan and the United States, Nitto provides innovative and high-quality performance tires for the most demanding automotive enthusiasts. For more information, visit the company's website or contact the company directly. Nitto is a registered trademark of Nitto Tire U.S.A. Inc., 5665 Plaza Drive, Ste. 250, Cypress, Calif., 90630. 

About Fujisankei Communications International (FCI)
FCI is the #1 network among Japanese living in the United States. FCI TV reaches approximately 250,000 Japanese viewers each day, delivering high quality content to some of America's most affluent consumers in an environment that is familiar and exclusive. More information on FCI can be found at www.fujisankei.com

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SOURCE Nitto Tire U.S.A. Inc.