The Japanese government's Agency for Cultural Affairs announced the winners of the 2017 "Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Fine Arts Recommendation Awards" on Wednesday. Animator Koji Yamamura won the Cabinet Minister Award in the media fine arts category.

Yamamura is a professor at Tokyo University of the Arts' Graduate School of Film and New Media, and an independent animator best known for his short films. He received an Academy Award nod in 2003 for his short " Mt. Head ," although he did not win.

Yamamura's other award-winning and nominated shorts include " Muybridge's Strings ," "A Country Doctor," "Satie's Parade," and "Notes on Monstropedia." Yamamura himself received the Kawakita Award in 2012.

This year marks the 68th year for the Fine Arts Recommendation Awards. The agency selected winners for the Cabinet Minister Award and the Rookie Award in 11 categories, including stage, film, music, and media fine arts. The media fine arts category — which includes animation, manga, games, and interactive arts — was created in 2008.