JAPAN PRIZE NEWSTHE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
FOUNDATION OF JAPAN (JSTF)

No. 5/September 1988

Shisei-Kaikan 5F
1-3 Hibiya-koen , Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100, Japan
Tel. (03) 508-7691

Six Scientists from Japan, France, America andAustralia Honored with 1988 Japan Prizes

The awards ceremony for the 1988 Japan Prize, the mostprestigeous and honored scientific prize in Japan presented
annually by the Science and Technology Foundation ofJapan to world scientists and researchers making notable
contributions to the peace and prosperity of mankind , washeld on April 7 at the National Theater in Tokyo
The two fields of science and technology designatedfor the prize this year were "Energy Technology" and "Preventative Medicine'. ' A total of 406 recommendation s werereceived from around the world , with six winners eventually
selected-inc luding the first Japanese to ever receive
the award .
Selected as the winner in the Energy Technology category was Dr. Georges Vend ryes of France, in recognition of
his establishment of practical fast breeder reactor technology.
Two separate themes were targeted in the PreventativeMedicine category. Honored for the successful eradicationof smallpox were Dr. Donald A. Henderson of America, Dr.
lsao Arita of Japan and Dr. Frank Fenner of Australia.
Recognized for their outstanding achievements in thediscovery of the AIDS-causing virus and development ofrelevant diagnostic methods were Dr. Luc Montagnier ofFrance and Dr. Robert C. Gallo of America.

- 1-Dr. Luc Montagnier

Dr Robert C. GalloJAPAN PRIZE

Crown Prince and Princess Attend
Awards Ceremony
Leading the list of prominent guests at the awards ceremony were the Crown Princeand Princess, along with Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Koichi Yaguchi , national
ambassadors to Japan and science attaches, noted scholars and researchers, representatives of political , government and financial circles , the press, and other sectors some 800 persons in all.
The ceremony began with an inspiring rendition of Handel's "Water Music" by theTokyo Symphony Orchestra, followed by the entrance of this year's laureates and theirwives. Foundation Chairman Kisaburo Yokota gave the opening address, and Dr.
Takashi Mukaibo, chairman of the Selection Committee, explained the reasons forselecting this -year's winners. Chairman Yokota then presented the winners with theJapan Prize certificates of merit, commemorative medals, and the supplementary cash
award of 50 million yen for each category.
All present saluted this moment with a rousing round of applause, as the winners
were bathed in the light of countless camera flashes from the press section. In the midstof the solemn atmosphere of this formal event. the beaming faces of the happy winners
left a lasting impression indeed.
One of the topics of interest this year was Dr. lsao Arita, the first Japanese ever tobe honored with the award. Dr. Arita, who has been bombarded with attention from theCrown Prince's Address" Led by the fields of specializationof this year's six winners, scienceand technology continue to chartamazing progress. We must strive
to ensure that the fruits of theseachievements lead to ever greater
happiness and prosperity foreveryone in society"It is my fervent hope that thisaward make a solid contribution
to the positive promotion of scientific and technological progress inthe years ahead ."mass media, says he has already set
his sights on his next professional
goal: "I am extremely pleased to havereceived this prize in the field of preventative medicine. From here on ,I want to devote as much of my timeand effort as possible to the global
project to eradicate polio :·Press Conference

Courtesy Call on Governor of Tokyo

The six winners of this year's Japan Prize attended a joint press
conference at the Japan Press Center. Dr. Montagnier and Dr.
Gallo, the two major authorities in the field of AIDS research ,fielded a particularly large number of questions

The six winners and their wives paid a courtesy visit toTokyo Governor Suzuki. The words exchanged between
the top man in the capital and these globally renowned
scientists were candid and to the point-2-JAPAN PRIZE

Gala Banquet Attended
by Japanese and Foreign Celebrities
A gala awards banquet was held on the evening of April 7 at
the Akasaka Prince Hotel in Tokyo . Attending were several
hundred prominent guests from a wide range of fields andnations, giving the event a truly international flavor. On handto congratulate the six winners were the Crown Prince andPrincess, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Yaguchi,
Director-General of the Science and Technology Agency ltoh ,Education Minister Nakajima, and other dignitaries.
After the Crown Prince and Princess were seated at thecenter of the main table, the six winners and their wives took
their seats on either side of the royal couple Also invited tojoin the group at the main table were 70 notable figures froma wide range of endeavors.
Enhanced by a harp recital and a vocal solo, dinner took
on a relaxed and congenial atmosphere, punctuated by
the timely introduction of each of the six winners and theirwives, as well as their achievements leading up to this latest
recognition

The Crown Prince then led the gathering in a congratulatory toast Others presenting congratulatory messages wereTokyo Governor Suzuki, and His Honorable Ambassador Mr.
Pierre Nelson Cotti, who represented the diplomatic corps inJapan and his country, the Ivory Coast
Finally, Dr. Vendryes offered an address of gratitude on
behalf of all prize recipients and expressed his feeling in his
haiku , a 17-syllable Japanese poem , as: "Make this a flower
festival which will invoke everlasting peace;· earning a stirring
round of applause from the gathering. The banquet lasted forover two hours, with all present departing with fond memoriesof the meaningful communication and exchanges which
took place.
The week of April was designated as "Japan Prize Week'.'
The winners' busy agenda during this period included anaudience with the Emperor, commemorative lecture meetingsgiven by the Prize recipients in Tokyo and Osaka, their participation in academic discussions, and other activities.

Commemorative Lecture Meetings

Holiday in Kyoto

The winners gave commemorative lectures in Tokyo at
the Asahi Hall and in Osaka at the MID Theater. A combined total of some 1,000 leading scientists, engineers,
researchers and the public crowded into both halls.

The prize recipients enjoyed a visit to Japan 's ancient capital ofKyoto Invited to a traditional tea ceremony, they relaxed and enjoyedthis introduction to one of the most refined artistic rituals of classicalJapanese culture.

JAPAN PRIZE

Prize Winners' Comments

The Japan Prize"Receiving the Japan Prize is a great honor for me and for mycountry:· "The strength of Japan resides in being a very advanced
country in the field of science and technology while keeping a close
link with its traditional cultural roots :·The Japan Prize is an award presented
to world scientists and researchers whohave compiled creative and notableachievements in science and tech nology, contributed to the progress ofthese field s, and helped to promote
peace and prosperity for mankind.
This prize was created in 1983 by
the Science and Technology FoundaKonosuke Matsushitation of Japan, which was established bya donation of Mr. Konosuke Matsushita and others. Mr. Matsushita
is well known as the founder of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. ,Ltd. and also serves as president of the Foundation.
Two separate fields are designated for the award each year, witha selection committee selecting the winners from candidates recommended on a global basis. In recognition of their achievements,
the winners receive a Japan Prize certificate of merit, commemorative medal, and cash award of 50 million yen (for each category).
The awards ceremony and congratulatory banquet are held in April,with guests including the Crown Prince and Princess as well as ahost of prominent persons from all fields.
This year marked the fourth time that the Prize has been
awarded. Those honored in the previous three years are as follows:

Dr. Georges Vendryes (France)"Our selection as recipients pays high tribute as well to dedicatedhealth workers from around the world who worked long hours
under the most difficult conditions to accomplish the ultimate goalof eradicating smallpox:·
Dr. Donald Henderson (U.S.A.)"I am extremely pleased to receive the prize, particularly since there
were so many obstacles to the success of the eradication project
I am confident that this recognition of our efforts will foster evengreater Japanese participation in international research projects inthe future."
Dr. lsao Arita (Japan)"I was gratified to learn that smallpox eradication , the greatest
achievement in preventative medicine in the world, had been recog nized :' "I am honored to have been linked with Dr. Henderson andDr. Arita as a representative of the many health workers whose
combined efforts made the achievement possible:·
Dr. Frank Fenner (Australia)"The honor of this prize goes beyond me to all my colleagues andassociates, who participated in the adventure of the AIDS virus
discovery and characterization. I am also particularly delighted toshare this prize with my colleague, Dr. Gallo :·Dr. Luc Montagnier (France)"I have had many special relationships with Japanese scientists
because of the work on the research in identifying and developing
tests for the AIDS pathogen. I feel very proud because Japanesescientists and people are known for their vigorous, careful evalu ations and their excellence in science:·
Dr. Robert C. Gallo (U.S.A.)

1985--------------------lnformation and Communications
Dr. John R. Pierce (USA)
Biotechnology
Dr. Ephraim Kachalski-Katzir (Israel)

1 9 8 6 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - Materials Science and Technology
Dr. David Turnbull (USA)
Medical TechnologyDr. Willem J. Kolff (USA)

1987--------------------lmprovements of Biological Functions
Dr. Henry M. Beachell (USA)Dr. Gurdev S. Khush (India)
Electro-0 plies
Dr. Theodore H. Maiman (USA)

Selection of 1989 Japan Prize Winners Begins
Selection of winners of the 1989 Japan Prize has alread y gotten underway, targeting the two designated field s of "Environmental Science andTechnology" and "Medicinal Science"
Up to now, the prize has concentrated on specific independent fields
of science and tech nology. Next year, however, the foc us will be placedon integrated fields of endeavor distinguished by their close ties to daily life.

"Environmental Science and Technology"

Although everyo ne yea rns for an environment that will enhance the quality of life, thewo rld is inc reasingly plag ued by environmental deterioration linked to ra pid industrialization and the rise in population As a result,
we are witnessing a g rowing awareness of
the importance of environ men tal scienceand techno logy.
"Environmental science and technology"
category refers to all areas of science andtech nology which have the power to effectthe human envi ronment. This includes bothresearch and development of practical application in forest preservation , desert greening ,urban environ men ts, environ mental contami nants, pollution preven tion , and otherfields. An other crucial area is resea rch on
the impact of the release into the naturalenvironment of ca rbon dioxide, fluorocarbons, radioactive substances and otherby-products of human activity.

"Medicinal Science"

The field of " medicinal science" has charted
remarka ble progress since the practical applicati on of sulfa drugs and the discovery ofan ti biotics, and has made a major co ntribution to extending the average human lifespanNow that the mechanism s that prod uce
disease are being clarified at the molecularlevel , theoretical drug design becomes possible and work in this area has al ready beg un.
Nevertheless, we con ti nue to face a hostof critical challenges including cancer, ageing ,and a broad spectrum of incu rable diseases.
Thus medicinal science·s mission of basic
resea rch to discover new medicines is morevital than ever to ensure the health and welfare
of all mankind . The term " medicinal science"refers to resea rch in organic and pharmaceu tical che mistry leading to the creationof new medicines, includi ng the discovery
and syn thesis of new biologically active
co mpounds.

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