BERLIN, Feb. 14 (Kyodo) - Organizers of the 51st Berlin International Film Festival announced Tuesday a veteran Japanese director will receive a meritorious award for his latest film on the 1994 fatal nerve-gas attack by AUM Shinrikyo in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture.
Kei Kumai, 70, will receive the Berlinale Camera award at a ceremony Thursday for ''Darkness in the Light,'' which focuses on media reports that falsely accused a man in the attack that killed seven people.
Company worker Yoshiyuki Kono, 50, who was the first to report the gas attack to police, was initially considered the prime suspect even though he was also sickened by the gas. His wife remains in a coma following the attack.
Kumai will be the second Japanese to receive the award following Kon Ichikawa, who won the prize last year for his work ''Dora Heita,'' (prodigal Heita) portraying a samurai who reforms a city ruled by gangs and corrupt bureaucrats.
Kumai has participated in the film festival seven times. The organizers said the award conveys their homage to the Japanese director's long career.
The award, established in 1986, is given to people in the film industry involved in a film not entered in the festival's competition.
AP-NY-02-13-01 1925EST
Copyright 2001 The Kyodo News Service.