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www.japanprize.jp

Jan. 2024

2024 Japan Prize Laureates Announced

Prof. Sir Brian J. Hoskins

Prof. John Michael Wallace

Prof. Ronald M. Evans

Professor, Department of Meteorology,
University of Reading

Professor Emeritus, Department of Atmospheric Sciences,
University of Washington

Professor, Director of Gene Expression Laboratory,
The Salk Institute for Biological Studies

UK

USA

USA

Fields Eligible for the Award:
Resources, Energy, the Environment, and Social Infrastructure

Medical Science and Pharmaceutical Science

Establishment of a scientific foundation for understanding
and predicting extreme weather events

Discovery of the nuclear hormone receptor family
and its application to drug development

The summer of 2023 saw reports of environmental damage due to heatwaves, heavy rain, and drought throughout the northern hemisphere. Japan
also experienced record heat levels, and the Japan Meteorological Agency
released a season forecast in June that predicted that temperatures would
continue to trend higher.
Weather and climate are complex phenomena that involve various
factors, but the continued advancement of computer, observation, andforecast technologies and techniques have allowed for computational
numerical weather and climate forecasting to offer a practical level ofaccu r acy, a nd it ha s become a n essent ial element of t he social
infrastructure. Much progress has also been made in clarifying the actual
conditions found when atmospheric circulation changes at various
spatiotemporal scales, and in determining their underlying mechanisms. It
is now possible to understand not only weather phenomena in specificregions, but also how the effects of changes in atmospheric circulation in
distant regions are transmitted through the atmosphere on a global scale.
Since the 1970s, Prof. Sir Brian Hoskins (theoretical and numericalmodels) and Prof. John Wallace (data analysis) have conducted research inthis field, and their almost five decades of work has contributed greatly tothese advancements in meteorology and climate dynamics.
The field of numerical weather and climate forecasting is built upon the
research of these two scientific allies, and now plays a major societal rolein predicting abnormal weather caused by global warming and helping
prevent and mitigate disasters.

Within the human body are a great number of hormones that regulate
various functions. Hormones are either water-soluble or fat-soluble, andalthough it was understood that fat-soluble hormones are able to passthrough cell membranes to reach nuclei, the receptors of those hormones
were unknown for a long time.
Prof. Ronald Evans was the first researcher in the world to successfully
isolate the receptors of fat-soluble hormones and vitamins, and hediscovered that these nuclear receptors are a part of a “superfamily” ofmolecules that have a common structure. He also showed that nuclear
receptors function as “transcriptional regulators,” which regulate thetranscription (or conversion) of target genes.
These have led to faster drug development, and now roughly 15% ofdrugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) target
nuclear receptors.
Evans’ success in gaining a complete understanding of the 48-member
nuclear receptor superfamily has not only contributed greatly to academic
research, but also to society as a whole.

The establishment of t he Japan Prize was mot ivated by t he Japanese
government's desire to create an internationally recognized award that would
contribute to scientific and technological development around the world. With thesupport of numerous donations, the Japan Prize Foundation received endorsementfrom the Cabinet Office in 1983.
The Japan Prize is awarded to scientists and engineers from around the world
who have made creative and dramatic achievements that help progress their fields
and contribute significantly to realizing peace and prosperity for all humanity.

Researchers in all fields of science and technology are eligible for the award, with
two fields selected each year in consideration of current trends in scientific andtechnological development. In principle, one individual in each field is recognizedwith the award, and receives a certificate, a medal, and a monetary prize. EachAward Ceremony is attended by the current Emperor and Empress, heads of thethree branches of government and other related officials, and representatives
from various other elements of society.

Fields Eligible for the Award:

Fields of Resources, Energy, the Environment, and Social Infrastructure
Achievement
Establishment of a scientific foundation for understanding and predicting extreme weather events
Prof. Sir Brian J. Hoskins (UK)Prof. John Michael Wallace (USA)

Born: May 17, 1945 (Age: 78)
Professor, Department of Meteorology,
University of Reading

Born: October 28, 1940 (Age: 83)
Professor Emeritus, Department of Atmospheric Sciences,
University of Washington

Data-based and theoretical explanation
for the Pacific-North American Pattern

Teleconnection – an essential element of
numerical weather and climate prediction

Figure 2 provides a more detailed look of the left sideof Figure 1, and shows Wallace’s 1981 discovery of the“Pacific-North American Pattern,” which arises out of theteleconnection effects of El Niño. That same year, Hoskins
provided a theoretical explanation of the dynamic processes that form such fluctuations in atmospheric patterns.
During El Niño, the water becomes warmer than usual
across an area of the equatorial Pacific Ocean from aroundthe International Date Line to the Peruvian coast of SouthAmerica. Precipitation there increases, becoming a sourceof heat and generating large-scale atmospheric waves
called “Rossby waves.” Figure 2 illustrates how suchwaves result in alternating anticyclonic (H– clockwise in
the northern hemisphere) and cyclonic (L – counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere) atmospheric circulation
anomalies thousands of kilometers wide.
Subtropical and mid-latitude westerlies (or jet streams)
play an important role in forming these patterns. The anticyclonic and cyclonic patterns generated by Rossby waves
tend to move westwards, but strong westerly winds in winterand other periods halt that westward movement and holding
those patterns in place, as is seen in the Pacific-North American Pattern. When this occurs, energy propagates withthe pattern, resulting in the effects of El Niño being felt
throughout North America and as far as the North Atlantic
Ocean. The westerlies (red arrows in Figure 2) meander toa great extent due to their overlapping with Rossby waves,thereby resulting in abnormal weather that is persistent.

One of the most important achievements made byProf. Sir Brian Hoskins and Prof. John Wallace is theirclarification of the conditions and mechanisms underlying“teleconnection,” which explain how abnormal weather
in one region affects weather in distant regions. Figure 1
illustrates how distinct weather trends are produced fromhighly persistent fluctuations mainly in the tropical atmosphere-ocean coupled system to affect winter and summer
in the mid-high latitudes in the northern hemisphere.
The “westerlies” are prevailing winds that blow from thewest at mid-latitudes (shown by the dashed yellow linewith arrows), and their continuous meandering leads toabnormal weather.
When using numerical weather and climate prediction,
it is necessary to understand that atmospheric conditions
in one region are constantly susceptible to fluctuations andchanges due to the influence of atmospheric, oceanic, andsea ice conditions in distant regions. This is particularly
true for seasonal weather prediction in the mid-latitudes
on scales greater than two weeks, as it is understood thatsuch predictions can be based upon teleconnection effects
from highly persistent climatic fluctuations such as the
El Niño/La Niña phenomena – in which trade winds andoceanic changes interact with each other in the equatorial
Pacific – and decadal fluctuations in the Pacific Ocean.
Those persistent fluctuations in the tropics can therefore
act as sources of predictability of mid-latitude weather
conditions on seasonal scales via “teleconnection”.

Changes in stratosphericcirculation in winterArctic Oscillation

Teleconnection(winter)H
Increased summer rainfall andheat due to global warming

PNA

Persistent meandering of
westerlies leading to chain of abnormal weather
Paciﬁc-Japan Pattern(Rossby waves)

Decadalvariability

El Niño

Decadalvariability

(IOD)

L

O

H

(PJ)

El Niño

Teleconnection(summer)

Change inwater temperature(typhoon activity)

The six red circles mark persistent ﬂuctuations that make prediction easier.

1

L

Upper-air westerlies O
International Date Line

H
O

L
J.D.Horel, J.M.Wallace,Mon. Wea. Rev. 1981, 109, 813.

Figure 1: Illustration of how the “teleconnection” phenomenon established by
Hoskins and Wallace can be applied to describe natural climate variations

Figure 2: The Paciﬁc-North American
Pattern generated by El Niño.

This reveals the teleconnection eﬀects of variations in tropical atmosphere-ocean coupledsystems (El Niño/La Niña, Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), decadal variability) and demonstrates thepredictability of seasonal weather events. The IOD is a climate change phenomenon that occurs
every few years from summer to autumn in the Indian Ocean tropical region.

El Niño generates anticyclonic (H) andcyclonic (L) circulation anomalies throughteleconnection.

illustration of Figure 3), and it was an extremely importantdiscovery that greatly advanced the predictability of persistent
weather anomalies.

Making weather and climate prediction possible
Hoskins numerically calculated how stagnant Rossby
waves are excited when a simulated heat source withincreased precipitation is placed near 15 degrees northlatitude, and how that will lead to anticyclonic (H) andcyclonic (L) circulation anomalies forming in the upper
atmosphere (see left side of Figure 3).
Meanwhile, Wallace conducted a statistical analysis ofroughly fifteen years of objective weather observation datafrom various regions in the northern hemisphere that had
been gathered to provide initial values for numerical weather forecasts. In that data, he discovered several types ofatmospheric pressure fluctuation patterns with alternating
and persistent anticyclonic and cyclonic circulation anomalies.
The righthand illustration of Figure 3 depicts the typical
distribution of pressure anomalies that eventually appear in
the middle troposphere after the arrival of an often-observed
teleconnection pattern in the western Atlantic. This patterncoincides well with Hoskins’ numerical calculations (lefthand20°
N

The increasing importance of numerical weather
and climate prediction

20°
N

L

L

66

H

H

H

134

L
H

L

O

O

L

95

O

H

235

L

92

Heat source (area of precipitation)

B.J.Hoskins, D.J.Karoly,
J. Atmos. Sci. 1981, 38, 1179.

J.M.Wallace, D.S.Gutzler,
Mon. Wea. Rev. 1981, 109, 784.

Figure 3: Atmospheric circulation anomalies as derived theoretically (left, Hoskins) and from observational data (right,
Wallace). Both views are shown from above the North Pole.

Baroclinic instability theory
describing development ofmobile anticyclonic and cyclonicvariations in westerlies

1940s to 1960s
・Development of computers
・Successes in numerical weather
prediction
・Collection of objective analysis
data begins

Hoskins’ Achievements
Realistic numerical experiment on
extratropical cyclone development(anticipating the development of
numerical weather forecasting) &front formation theory andnumerical experimentation

1970s(Dawning of New Science)

The primary success of the work of these two researchers
was their discovery of global-scale fluctuations in thewesterlies driven by El Niño, and this has become one of
the foundations of seasonal weather prediction around theworld. However, their work resulted in more advancementsthat could be listed here, but included the identificationof mechanisms through which extratropical cyclones are
generated and the regions in which they are active, both ofare essential for daily weather forecasting; the dynamics
behind the formation of blocking anticyclones (or blocking
highs) which cause abnormal weather; the discovery ofhemisphere-scale fluctuations in the westerlies (the Arctic
Oscillation); and the identification of decadal fluctuations in
the Pacific atmosphere-ocean coupled system that accelerateand decelerate increases in the global temperature. Many ofthese successes were achieved through Hoskins constructing
theoretical models and Wallace understanding actual conditions using observational data, and their work has become
the cornerstone of useful, practical, and promising numerical
weather and climate prediction. It also led to the use of atmospheric reanalysis data in monitoring climate change.
In addition, their work is also useful in studying weather
anomalies arising from global warming, a subject that is of
growing concern, by showing how regional weather effects
can be described using the knowledge of meteorology andclimate dynamics that has been accumulated over the years.
Numerical weather and climate prediction will become anincreasingly important part of the social infrastructure that
protects human lives.

Establishment and growth of the European
Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts(ECMWF)
Group velocity propagation theory andnumerical experimentation on stagnant
Rossby waves (the foundation forteleconnection) & establishing the conceptof dynamically-conserved quantities (i.e.,
potential vorticity) (the physical basis forinterpreting weather anomalies associatedwith the meandering of westerlies)

1980s(Putting Ideas into Practice)Creation and dissemination of
atmospheric reanalysis data
Feedback forcing due to wave-breaking
of mobile, mature anticyclonic andcyclonic systems onto anomalous
westerlies, leading to the developmentof the North Atlantic Oscillation andblocking anticyclones

1990s(Towards Seasonal Forecasting)(Further Development)

Wallace’s Achievements
Demonstrates the scientiﬁc validity ofobjective analysis data (thereby
promoting the quantiﬁcation ofobservational atmospheric circulation
research) & tropospheric circulation in
the northern hemisphere, structure ofmobile anticyclones and cyclones

Red text denotes individual achievements
and blue text denotes their signiﬁcance

Identiﬁcation of teleconnection
patterns & quantiﬁcation of theteleconnection eﬀects of El Niño
(seasonal predictability)

Discovery of the Arctic Oscillation, aprevailing ﬂuctuation in westerlies in
the northern hemisphere &identiﬁcation of decadal ﬂuctuationsin the Paciﬁc and their teleconnectioneﬀects (seasonal predictability)

Creation and dissemination of
atmospheric reanalysis data

Figure 4: A selection of contributions made by Hoskins and Wallace to the advancement of weather and climate prediction.

2

Field of Medical Science and Pharmaceutical Science
Achievement
Discovery of the nuclear hormone receptor family and its application to drug development

Prof. Ronald M. Evans (USA)
Born: April 17, 1949 (Age: 74)
Professor, Director of Gene Expression Laboratory,
The Salk Institute for Biological Studies

Nuclear receptors that bind fat-soluble hormonesand vitamins
The human body maintains homeostasis through theaction of various hormones. Hormones are secreted into
the blood, and then transported throughout the bodyto reach the cells of their target organs. The hormones
then bind to “receptors” within the cells, and this acts
as a trigger to activate the effects associated with thosehormones.
Hormones come in two types: water-soluble and fat-soluble. Water-soluble hormone receptors are present in cell
membranes, and when a hormone binds with them, thereceptors in the cell membrane transmit information into
the cell.
Meanwhile, thyroid and other fat-soluble hormones passthrough the cell membrane to enter the cell, and can eventravel into the nucleus. That is why it was thought that
fat-soluble hormone receptors would be present withincells, including inside the nucleus, but those receptors
remained unidentified for a long time.
Prof. Ronald Evans was the first researcher in the world
to isolate the receptor for the fat-soluble hormone called
glucocorticoid, and revealed its structure as a nuclear
receptor (Fig. 1).

1D
structure

A/B

C

N-terminal
domainDNA binding
domain

D

E

F

Hinge
LigandC-terminal
region binding domain domain

The functions of the nuclear receptor superfamily
Evans went on to identify a number of new nuclear
receptors since isolating the glucocorticoid receptor. He
found the receptors for estrogen and thyroid hormones, andalso revealed that the receptors for fat-soluble vitamins suchas vitamin D and vitamin A are actually nuclear receptors.
These led to the understanding that these nuclear receptors
are part of a “superfamily” of related molecules with very
similar structures and functions.
Nuclear receptors are activated after binding with ligands(hormones, vitamins, and other substances that bind specificallyto receptors), and regulate the expression of target genes withspecific DNA sequences at the transcription level (Fig.2). Information is transmitted in this way, and this is how hormones andvitamins interact with receptors. In other words, this shows that
nuclear receptors act as receptors for fat-soluble hormones, vitamins, and other ligands, and also act as so-called “transcription
control factors.”
Prior to Evans’ work, it was not known that all fat-soluble hormones and vitamins transmit information througha basic shared mechanism. There are 48 types of nuclear
receptor within the human body, and his work in clarifying
the overall picture surrounding this nuclear receptor superfamily opened the door to new research possibilities in thefields of molecular biology and endocrinology.

Ligands (hormones, vitamins, etc.)

LigandNuclear receptor

DNA binding domain Ligand binding domain

Nucleus

Nuclear receptor

DNA
Cell

3D
structure
LigandGR GR

DNATR RXR

DNA
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_receptor

Figure 1: Structural Organization of Nuclear Receptors
Top: Schematic 1D diagram of a nuclear receptor. All nuclear receptors of fat-soluble hormones and vitamins share this basic structure.
Bottom: 3D structure of a nuclear receptor.

3

Figure 2: Nuclear receptor function
Nuclear receptors transmit information through one of two mechanisms: through binding with a ligand in the cytoplasm andmoving into the nucleus (left), or through binding with a ligand
within the nuclear (right). An example of the former is the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), which forms homodimers (a pair of identical molecules bound together) then acts as a transcriptional
regulatory factor. An example of the latter is a thyroid hormone
receptor (TR), which functions by binding with a retinoid X receptor (RXR) to form a heterodimer (a pair of diﬀerent molecules
bound together). It has also been shown that RXR form dimers
with many other nuclear receptors.

Physiological effects and diseases involving
nuclear receptors
Members of the nuclear receptor superfamily arepresent in every tissue in the human body, and they
control a variety of physiological activities, including
the metabolism, immunity, inflammation, reproduction,bone formation, and cell differentiation and proliferation(Fig. 3). Nuclear receptor functions are associated witha number of diseases, so a number of drugs have beendeveloped to target those nuclear receptors. The UnitedStates Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for approving drugs in the US, and around 15% of
the drugs it has approved target nuclear receptors.
For example, clarifying the base of activity mediatedby glucocorticoid receptors has led to the developmentof immunosuppressants and other drugs used to treat
various infectious diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma,and more, and these are now being used around theworld. In addition, research into vitamin A and vitamin
D receptors has revealed the effects of fat-soluble
vitamins, which has led to the widespread use of thesevitamins in the treatment of leukemia, osteoporosis,
psoriasis, and other illnesses.

Opening the door to further drug discovery
through an understanding of nuclear receptors
Many members of the nuclear receptor superfamily werereferred to as “orphan receptors” when they were first dis-covered, because the ligands they would bind with were as
yet unknown. Evans isolated a number of orphan receptors,
including estrogen related receptors (ERR), the retinoid X
receptor (RXR), and the peroxisome proliferator-activatedreceptor γ (PPARγ), and managed to identify some of theirassociated ligands.
In the case of PPARγ, a nuclear receptor closely associatedwith adipocyte differentiation and glucose-lipid metabolism,
Evans not only identified its endogenous ligands (naturally-occurring ligands present in the body), but he also determinedthat thiazolidine derivatives used in the treatment of diabetes
can act as synthetic ligands for PPARγ.
When controlling transcription, nuclear receptors either
activate or suppress transcription by binding to proteins
called “transcription coactivators.” Evans was also able tosuccessfully isolate transcription coactivators like SMRT,
which play an important role in specific organ and tissue
functions. This research led to a better understanding of
the basis of action and clinical application of selective
estrogen receptor modulators (SERM), which are typicallyused in the treatment of post-menopausal osteoporosis, andof anti-cancer drugs used in treating hormone-responsive
cancers (breast cancer, uterine cancer, prostate cancer, etc.)
In these many ways, Prof. Ronald Evans’ success in clarifying the overall picture of the nuclear receptor superfamily
has not only made an immense contribution to academic research, but also to society as a whole, through his research’s
impact on drug discovery, clinical medicine, pharmacology,
and more.

Table 1: History of the discovery of the nuclear receptor
superfamily
Year

TR：Thyroid hormone receptor
Thyroid hormone deﬁciency
Hearing loss
GR：Glucocorticoid receptor
Anti-inﬂammatory eﬀect
Immunosuppressive eﬀect
Glucocorticoid refractoriness
FXR：Farnesoid X receptor
Bile acid synthesis and transport
Glucose-lipid metabolism
Antidiabetic
ER：Estrogen receptor
Female reproductive organ
diﬀerentiation and function
Anti-osteoporosis
Anti-cardiovascular disease
Breast cancer, endometrial cancer
Estrogen insensitivity
Anti-obesity

RAR：Retinoic acid receptor
Cell diﬀerentiation
Nervous system, bone formation
Anti-leukemia
VDR：Vitamin D receptor
Bone and chondrocytes
proliferation and diﬀerentiation
Rickets type II
Anti-colon cancer
PPAR：Peroxisome
proliferator-activatedreceptor
Glucose-lipid metabolism
Anti-hyperlipidemia
Adipocyte diﬀerentiation
Anti-diabetic
LXR：Liver X receptor
Cholesterol metabolism/excretion
Synthesis of neutral lipids
AR：Androgen receptor
Male reproductive organ
diﬀerentiation and function
Anti-osteoporosis
Prostate cancer
Spinobulbar Muscular Atrophy
Androgen insensitivity disorder
Anti-obesity

Figure 3: Physiological eﬀects of nuclear receptor superfamily
members within the human body, and diseases and therapeutic
drugs associated with them.

Event

1985

First NR cloned (GR)1986

Cloning of receptor
Cloning of thyroid hormone receptor

1987

Cloning of VDR, RAR

1988

Concept of NR superfamily proposed

1990

RXR isolated

1991

Direct repeats revealed to be response elements (3-4-5 rule)
Isolation of ﬁrst PPAR

1992

Identiﬁcation of ﬁrst orphan receptor ligand (9-cis RA:RXR)
Concept of RXR heterodimer proposed

1995

X-ray structural analysis of RXR-TR heterodimer on direct repeat
DNA Cloning of SRC family NR transcription co-factors
and N-CoR/SMRT Isolation of LXR, FXR

1996

CBP/p300 revealed to be NR co-activators
Discovery that N-CoR/SMRTs bind with HDACs

1998

Isolation of PXR and CAR xenobiotic receptor

1999

1st orphan ligand clinically approved (RXR agonist)

2005

First analysis of NR cistrome

2006

Atlas proﬁling of NR expression ＆ the Ring of Physiology

2008

X-ray structural analysis of intact receptor on DNA

Re-organized excerpt from Evans, R.M. & Mangelsdorf, D.J. (2014).
Nuclear Receptors, RXR, and the Big Bang. Cell 157(1), 255‒66.

4

Nomination and Selection Process■

Every November, the Field Selection Committee of The Japan Prize Foundation designates and announces two fields in which theJapan Prize will be awarded two years hence. At the same time, the Foundation calls for over 15,500 nominators, strictly
comprised of prominent scientists and researchers from around the world invited by the Foundation, to nominate the candidates
through the Web System. The deadline for nominations is the end of January of the following year.

■

For each f ield, a Selection Subcommittee conducts a rigorous evaluation of the candidates’ academic achievements. The
conclusions are then forwarded to the Selection Committee, which conducts evaluations of candidates’ achievements from a wider
perspective, including contributions to the progress of science and technology, and significant advancement towards the cause ofworld peace and prosperity, and finally the selected candidates are recommended for the Prize.

■

The recommendations are then sent to the Foundation’s Board of Directors, which makes the final decision on the winners.

■

The nomination and selection process takes almost two years from the time that the fields are decided. Every January, the winnersof that year’s Japan Prize are announced. The Presentation Ceremony is held in April in Tokyo.

2022

2023
July - OctoberNovember

1

2

3Energy, the Environment, and Social Infrastructure
Medical Science and Pharmaceutical Science

Determine the eligible fields for the 2024 Japan Prize(Board of Directors)

3

Invite the nominations

4

Closing of the nominations

November

4

１ Consider the eligible fields for the 2024 Japan Prize(Board of Directors)

2

2024

January

5

6

January

April

7

8

5

Japan Prize（Selection Committee）
Energy, Environment, and Social Infrastructure（Selection Subcommittee）
Medical Science and Pharmaceutical Science（Selection Subcommittee）

6

Selecting the Laureates of the 2024 Japan Prize

7

Announce the Laureates of the 2024 Japan Prize

8

The 2024 Japan Prize Presentation Ceremony(Board of Directors)

Members of the 2024 Japan Prize Selection Committee
Chairman

Makoto Asashima

Members

Mariko Hasegawa

Director Generalof Advanced Comprehensive Research Organization
Research Professor, Teikyo University
Academic Advisor, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
Professor Emeritus, The University of Tokyo

President, Japan Arts Council
Professor Emeritus, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies,
SOKENDAI

Deputy Chairman

Kazunori Kataoka

Yoichiro Matsumoto
Professor Emeritus
The University of Tokyo

Hiroto Ishida

Kyosuke Nagata

President
University of Tsukuba

Hideyuki Okano

Professor
Keio University School of Medicine

Adviser
The Japan Prize Foundation

Tatsuya Okubo

Executive Vice President, The University of Tokyo
Professor, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo

Vice Chairperson, Kawasaki Institute of Industrial Promotion
Center Director, Innovation Center of NanoMedicine (iCONM)
Professor Emeritus, The University of Tokyo

Hiroto Yasuura

Director General, Fukuoka Asian Urban Research Center
Vice-Director-General, National Institute of Informatics,
Inter-University Research Institute Corporation,
Research Organization of Information and Systems
Professor Emeritus, Kyushu University

Masayuki Matsushita
Director
The Japan Prize Foundation

Selection Subcommittee for the “Energy, the Environment, and Social Infrastructure” field
ChairmanMembers

Tatsuya Okubo

Keiko Fujioka

Executive Vice President, The University of Tokyo
Professor, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo

Akira Mori

Professor
Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology
The University of Tokyo

President, Functional Fluids Ltd.

Jun-ichiro Hayashi

Institute for Materials Chemistry and Engineering
Kyushu University

Hisashi Nakamura

Yuya Kajikawa

Deputy Chairman

Tadafumi Adschiri

Research Professor
Advanced Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University

Professor, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology
The University of Tokyo

Professor, Institute for Future Initiatives
The University of Tokyo

Nobuko Saigusa

Reiko Kuwano

Director
Earth System Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies

Professor
Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo

Tohru Setoyama

Shigeo Maruyama

Executive Fellow, Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation

Distinguished Professor
School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo

Chiharu Tokoro

Yoshihiko Matsui

Professor, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda University
Professor, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo

Guest Professor, Waseda University
Professor Emeritus, Hokkaido University

Yoshihiro Mizuguchi

Specialist
Akihiko Kondo

Vice President, Kobe University
Professor, Graduate School of Science, Technology and Innovation, Kobe University

Executive Officer Chief Technology Officer
Sustainability Co-Creation Unit
JGC HOLDINGS CORPORATION

Shunsuke Ono

Associate Professor, School of Computing, Tokyo Institute of Technology

Selection Subcommittee for the “Medical Science and Pharmaceutical Science” field
ChairmanMembers

Professor
Keio University School of Medicine

Professor
The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo

Hideyuki Okano

Ken J. Ishii

Hiroyuki Sasaki

University Professor, Institute for Advanced Study, Kyushu University
Specially-Appointed Professor, Medical Institute of Bioregulation
Kyushu University

Takashi Kadowaki

Tomomi Shimogori

President
Toranomon Hospital

Deputy Chairman

Masayuki Miura

Professor
Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences
The University of Tokyo

5

Team Leader
Center for Brain Science, RIKEN

Yuko Kitagawa

Taisuke Tomita

Provost and Vice-President, Keio University
Professor, Keio University School of Medicine

Professor
Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo

Atsushi Kumanogoh

Dean and Professor
Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University

Yasuteru Urano

Professor
School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology

Akihiko Yoshimura

Shoen Kume

Professor
Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo

Seishi Ogawa

Professor
Keio University School of Medicine

Professor
Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University(Names listed in alphabetical order. Titles and positions are valid as of January 2024)

Eligible Fields for the 2025 Japan Prize
Areas of Physics, Chemistry, Informatics, and Engineering

Materials Science and Production
Background and Rationale:

Rapid developments in science and technology have made 21st century society increasingly dependent on the development of new materials and innovative
manufacturing technologies. Advanced materials are driving technological innovation in energy, medicine, information and communication, environmental
protection, nanotechnology, and a wide range of other fields. Examples of materials under active research include energy-related materials such as
high-performance batteries; biomaterials that could help people live longer and healthier lives; optical and semiconductor materials that enable ultrafast
information processing and transmission; new functional materials that harness quantum phenomena; and structural materials used to build the infrastructurethat forms the backbone of society. The world is also seeing major technological innovations in manufacturing and production, from automated technologies
using 3D printers and AI, to energy-saving/zero-emission manufacturing technologies and recycling technologies aimed at building a sustainable society.
Materials informatics (MI) is another field that has seen remarkable progress in recent years, and MI research is expected to revolutionize conventional
material design and manufacturing technologies. Such advances are extremely important as they will enrich our lives and help build a sustainable society.

Eligible Achievements:

The 2025 Japan Prize in the fields of Materials Science and Production will be awarded for the discovery or development of materials that lead to breakthroughadvances in science and technology, or for dramatic advancements in manufacturing technology that result in new products, services, or industries.

Areas of Life Sciences, Agriculture, Medicine, and Pharmacology

Biological Production, Ecology/Environment
Background and Rationale:

Throughout history, by raising crops and livestock and accumulating experience and know-how, humans have improved biological production techniquesand made production methods ever more efficient. In more recent times, scientific and technical advances have vastly increased the productivity of thosemethods and contributed to rapid population growth. On the other hand, biological production’s growth has brought with it increasingly serious deteriorationof our planet’s environment and loss of biodiversity.
To take full advantage of ecosystem services and ensure stable and sustainable biological production, innovations in science and technology that emphasize
protection of the environment and ecosystems are indispensable. Notable areas of innovation include, for example, development of cultivation systems andplant varieties adapted to different regional climates and operating scales; optimization of farming processes and environmental monitoring through the useof sensing and information and communications technology (ICT); improvement in efficiency and precision of biological production through the utilization ofrobotics; improvement of food processing techniques and food functionality; reduction of food loss and waste; and diminution of greenhouse gas emissions in
all aspects of production, processing, distribution, and consumption. Anticipated are the development of novel “bioproducts” derived from renewablebiological material and the development of new production processes that make use of living organisms’ biological functions. Methods must also be found toensure a more equitable distribution of products among regions and social classes, and to assess fairly the multifaceted values of agriculture, forestry, andfisheries industries with roots in local communities.

Eligible Achievements :The 2025 Japan Prize in Biological Production and Ecology/Environment will reward achievements that have created, extended, or propagated major steps
forward in scientific technology and, by advancing basic science related to ecology and environmental science and biological-production-related science andtechnology, have made or have the potential to make major contributions to sustainable development of human society in harmony with our ecosystem.

Fields Selection Committee for the 2025 Japan Prize
ChairmanMembers

Kohei Miyazono

Executive Director, RIKENDistinguished University Professor, Department of Applied Pathology,
Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo

Hiroyuki Arai

Yukiko Motomura

Mutsuko Hatano

Toru Nakano

Executive Director, Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency
Emeritus Professor, The University of Tokyo

Professor, Senior Aide to President Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering,
School of Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology

Vice Chairman

Kazuhito Hashimoto

President
Japan Science and Technology Agency

Kazuhiro Hono

Editorial writer
The Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd.
Professor Emeritus
Osaka University

Taikan Oki

President
National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS)

Professor
Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo

Jinichi Igarashi

Nobuhiro Tsutsumi

Adviser, ENEOS Research Institute, Ltd.
Former Director, Senior Vice President,
JXTG Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation

Vice President, The University of Tokyo
Professor, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences,
The University of Tokyo

Erina Kuranaga

Naonori Ueda

Professor, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University
Professor, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Kyoto University

Deputy Director, RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project
Research Professor (Visiting Fellow),
NTT Communication Science Laboratories

Tadahiro Kuroda

Minoru Yoshida

Professor
Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo

Executive Director, RIKEN
University Professor, Office of University Professors,
The University of Tokyo(Names listed in alphabetical order. Titles and positions are valid as of November 2023)

Schedule (2025-2027)

The eligible fields for the Japan Prize (2025 to 2027) have been decided for the two research areas, respectively.
These fields rotate every year in a three year cycle. Every year the Fields Selection Committee announces the eligible field for the next three years.
Areas of Physics, Chemistry, Informatics, and Engineering

Areas of Life Sciences, Agriculture, Medicine, and Pharmacology

YearEligible Fields

Year

2025
2026
2027

Materials Science and Production
Electronics, Information, and Communication
Resources, Energy, Environment, and Social Infrastructure

2025
2026
2027

Eligible Fields
Biological Production, Ecology/ Environment
Life Sciences
Medical Science and Pharmaceutical Science6

Projects of the Foundation
For the further development of science and technology...
In addition to selecting and awarding the Japan Prize, the Japan Prize Foundation is engaged in projects designed to contribute to
the development of science, technology, and society, including the oﬀering of research grants for the training of young scientists, andour “Easy-to-understand Science and Technology Seminars” aimed at the children who will lead the coming generations.

JAPAN PRIZE

Heisei Memorial Research Grant Program

The creation of the Japan Prize was motivated by the Japanese

The “Heisei Memorial Research Grant Program” is named after

government’s desire to “contribute to the development of science andTheir Majesties the Emperor Emeritus and Empress Emerita, who

technology worldwide by establishing a prestigious international

have been interested in the research activities of young scientists

award.” Supported by numerous private donations, the Japan Prizeand have encouraged them for many years.

was established in 1983 with a cabinet endorsement. This award

The Foundation provides research grants to scientists mainly

honors scientists and researchers worldwide who are recognized forunder 45 years of age. Every year, the Foundation selects four tohaving contributed signiﬁcantly to the peace and prosperity ofeight scientists who undertake knowledge-integrated research thathumankind through their original and outstanding achievements

contribute to solving social issues, and gives ﬁve to ten million yen.

that have greatly advanced the progress of science and technology.

The Foundation encourages international collaboration of

The eligible ﬁelds of this award cover all ﬁelds of science andtechnology. Every year, two ﬁelds for the award presentation are

scientists beyond their expertise.
(An applicant must belong to a research organization in Japan.)chosen by considering the developments in science and technology.
As a general rule, one award is given for each ﬁeld and each laureate
receives a certiﬁcate of merit, a prize medal, and a cash prize.
The Presentation Ceremony is held annually in the presence of
Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress, and is also attended by
the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President of theHouse of Councillors, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, various
ministers, as well as eminent ﬁgures from various circles.

Easy-to-Understand Scienceand Technology Seminars
The Foundation holds a series of public and student seminars on
advanced technologies commonly used in everyday life by inviting
experts, who will explain state-of-the-art technologies in plain
terms.
More than 300 seminars havebeen held since the program
was launched in March 1989.

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