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

NO. 13
AUGUST 1993

Shisei Kaikan, 1-3, Hibiya-Koen,Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan 100
Tel. 03 (3508) 7691

Two U.S. Scientists Awarded 1993 (9th) Japan Prize
Recognized for Scientific Achievements in Safety Engineering and Disaster Mitigation and in Molecular andCellular Technology in Medicine

Dr. Frank Press

Two scientists from the U.S. were awarded the 1993 (9th) Japan Prize,
the most prestigious and honored pri ze in the fields of science and technology, at a presentation ceremony held at the National Theatre in Tokyoon April 28,1993.
The Prize is presented annually by The Science and Technology Foundation of Japan to scientists and researchers who have made substantial
contributions to the advancement of science and technology and to the peaceand prosperity of mankind.
The categories of this year were Safety Engineering and Disaster Mitigationand Molecular and Cellular Technology in Medicine. Top scientists and academic s around the world submitted 589 nominations, 195 for Safety
Engineering and Disaster Mitigation and 394 for Molecular and CellularTechnology in Medicine.
Dr. Frank Press, President of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences,received the 1993 (ninth) Japan Prize in the category of Safety Engineering and Disaster Mitigation. Dr. Press is cred ited for hi s contributions
to the development of modern seismology and advancement of international cooperation in disaster science.
In the category of Molecular and Cellular Technology in Medicine, thePtize went to Dr. Kary. B. Mullis, Founder and Vice President Researchof Atomic Tags, Inc. , who is credited for hi s development of the polymerase chain reaction.

Dr. Kary B.Mullis

JAPAN PRIZE

Their Majesties The Emperorand Empress Attended
The Presentation Ceremony

world over, and especially without the early material and political support of the Japanese government." Dr. Mullis expressed his appreciation,saying, "On behalf of the thousands of scientiests who have magnified asimple invention into a tool that is being used at this very moment in thousands of laboratories around the world, I gratefully accept this generous
award. "Their Majesties The Emperor and Empress attended the presentation
ceremony at the National Theatre in Tokyo on April 28, 1993. Some 800
prominent guests attended the ceremony, including the President of theHouse of Councillors, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Ministerof Education, the Minister of Science and Technology Agency, numerous
ambassadors to Japan, eminent scholars and researchers, and representatives from other fields including politics, finance, industry and the media.
The ceremony began with a rendition of Minoru Miki ' s Overture
Japan, a work composed specially for the ceremony and performed by
the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Shunsaku
Tutumi. The Foundation Chairman Dr. Masami Ito made the opening address and Dr. Jiro Kondo, Chairman of the 1993 Japan Prize Selection
Committee, introduced the two winners and their achievements. After thechairman of the two selection panels presented the reasons for their selections, Foundation Chairman Dr. Ito presented the winners with theircertificates of merit, commemorative medals and cash awards of 50 million yen for each category.
In his acceptance speech, Dr. Press said, "I received overly much credit for helping to launch the international Decade of Natural Hazard
Reduction. I can say that this program would not have been possible
without the help of literally thousands of scientists and engineers theBrilliant Banquet Held withTheir Majesties The Emperorand Empress
Following the presentation ceremony, a banquet for the 1993 Japan
Prize winners was held at the Hotel New Ohtani in Tokyo on the eveningof April 28, in the presence of Their Majesties The Emperor andEmpress as wdl as 400 dignitaries including Japanese government top
officials, the U.S. ambassador to Japan, other ambassadors and ministers,
and celebrities from various fields. The brilliant celebration included
music by the New Vivaldi Ensemble.
An opening address by the Foundation Chairman Dr. Ito was followedby dinner, after which His Majesty The Emperor honored the two laureateswith a congratulatory toast. A second toast was made by His Excellency
Mr. Ryohachi Kusaba, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, who represented the three branches of the Japanese government. The wife of Dr. Pressand the fiancee of Dr. Mullis were then presented with bouquets.
Another toast was proposed by His Excellency Mr. Mamoru Nakajima,
Minister of Science and Technology Agency, who asked the guests intoasting to the Japan Prize's further development and contribution toward
world peace and prosperity.
The banquet continued with a congratulatory message from H.E. Mr.
Fawzi Bin Abdul Majeed Shobokshi, Ambassador Extraordinary andPlenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, representing the diplomatic corps in Japan.
Then, a special and congratulatory message to each of the laureate from
H.E. William J. Clinton, the President of the United States of America
was introduced by its Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary,

H.E. Michael H. Armacost, followed with a congratulatory speech by theAmbassador himself.
The end of the banquet was highlighted by a performance of the Mixed
Choruses of Chiba University and Utsunomiya University with 160 members featuring songs of the universities and country where the laureates
spent their days as young students.
Prior to closing the banquet, Dr. Press and Dr. Mullis gave speeches ofthanks and brought their memorable banquets to its close.

JAPAN PRIZE

Addressby HisMajesty theEmperor
On the occasion of the ninth Japan Prize Presentation Ceremony,
it is a great pleasure for me to offer my sincerest congratulations
to each of the two awardees : Dr. Frank Press in the category ofSafety Engineering and Disaster Mitigation and Dr. Kary Banks
Mullis in the category of Molecular and Cellular Technology inMedicine.
Dr. Press exercised supreme leadership in promoting scientificresearch on earthquake mechanisms and on the structure of theearth 's interior and further has made substantial contributions to
the advancement of international cooperation in the prevention of
the impacts of natural disasters.
Dr. Mullis developed a revolutionary technique in analyzing
genes and its results will in many ways greatly influence the development of life science.
I am convinced that the studies of both doctors will be of greatsignificance for the people of the world in their desire to preventthe impact of natural disasters and to conquer diseases.
I would, therefore, like to express my deepest respects for the remarkable achievements of these two doctors.
At present, the world is confronted with various problems. It is
my hope that science and technology will help to overcome theseissues and will further be developed so that they will bring about
benefits to all the people of the world.
The Prize Presentation Ceremony of this year is the ninth since
its beginning. I am truly sorry not to see here today Dr. Kisaburo
Yokota. He had devoted himself to develop the Prize as chairman
and later as president since the establishment of the Foundation. I
deeply regret the death of Dr. Yokota and would like to praise him
highly for his contributions to this Prize.
I sincerely hope that the Japan Prize will further contribute to
the development of science and technology in the world.

Japan Prize Week

Reception Party by American Ambassador (April 27)-19;,\~ i ~B*OO~~ti :tft~ll'lf f. R.

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Press Conference at the Japan Press Center (April 30)

Luncheon Meeting with foreign correspondents (April 30)

Commemorative Lectures at the Hall in Science Council of Japan(Apri130)

JAPAN PRIZEInternational
Exchange Activities
The Foundation has close relationships with the Nobel Foundation
since its establishment. In 1987, the Foundation instituted aprogram to send two Japanese students majoring in natural sciences to the annual Stockholm International Youth Science Seminar ("SIYSS") which is sponsored by the Swedish Federation ofYoung Scientists during the Nobel Prize Week in early December.
The seminar seeks to promote international exchanges among
young scientists of the world and is supported by the Nobel Foundation.
The participants in the 1992 seminar were Ms. Keiko Endofrom the Hydraulics Laboratory, Civil Engineering Major, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nihon University and Ms.
Sachiko lseki from the Department of Developmental Biology, Division of Life Science Maxillofacial Systems, Graduate School ofDentistry, Tokyo Medical and Dental University.
Their memoires are as follows:

Ms. Endo at the Nobel ball (center)I was fortunate to participate in the 17th Stockholm International
Youth Science Seminar ("SIYSS") , which was held during theNobel Week, December 4 through 11 , 1992.
The purpose of the seminar is to encourage and stimulate thestudents of many countries of the world who study the scienceand technology and participate in the Stockholm seminar, by offering opportunities to make precious exchanges with the Nobel
Prize laureates.
The 17th seminar collected such students from 17 countries, aged
16 through 28.
The seminar program included lectures by the Nobel winners,
courtesy visits to Her Majesty Queen Silvia and the Nobel
Foundation and tour to Karolinska Institute.
I was continuously tensed during such events.
The seminar further included the formal events of the awarding

Selection of Winners Begins forthe 1994 (10th) Japan Prize
The categories of the 1994 (10th) Japan Prize are Aerospace
Technologies and Psychology and Psychiatry. Candidates have been
recommended through numerous letters of nomination received by theFoundation from around the world. The 1994 (10th) Selection
Committee has been established and the process of selecting next
year's winners is under way. Results will be announced publicly inDecember, 1993 and the presentation ceremony will be held in April,
1994.

Monthly Science andTechnology Seminars
The Foundation holds a series of monthly science and technology
seminars in Japanese for the general public, free of charge. The seminars are aimed at promoting the comprehensive spread of infonnationand development of ideas regarding science and technology.
Distinguished scholars, scientists, engineers and other recognized
leaders in their fields give lectures in easy-to-understand language for theceremony, banquet and ball, which necessiated us to wear Japanesetraditional and formal clothes of Kimono.
My realistic finding was my own Kimono of long-sleeved Furisodetype had not been appropriate for dancing in the ball.
In the reception party for the Nobel laureates, I had opportunities
to ask personally to the laureates for their research works, whichwere very significant experiences.
The words left in my mind more than anything else were "Go yourown way" given by a laureate to our colleague young scientists.
{by Ms. Keiko Endo)

Ms. lseki shaking hands with Queen Silvia
I was unexpectedly given an opportunity to participate in the 17th
Stockholm International Youth Science Seminar ("SIYSS") and to attend the 91 st Nobel Prize awarding ceremony and its related events.
For people living in Stockholm, the Nobel Prize awarding ceremony
held on December 1O was in a sense, a festival.
Other than the ceremony, the lectures by the Nobel Prize laureatesand receptions for the laureates were held and individual and department stores were decorated with various displays for celebration.
The day when the awarding ceremony held at the Concert Halland the banquet followed at the City Hall was really the climax of thefestivities .
The scenes of the ceremony and the banquet were broadcast overTV network.
At each course of dinner dishes during the banquet, the attendees
enjoyed a different performance of entertainment, which should havegiven a great fun for TV watchers.
Although not every citizen could attend the ceremony nor lectures
nor receptions , I felt the entire city was fascinated with the honor thatthe awarding ceremony of the most prestigious Nobel Prize for scientists had been held there .
I feel very honored that I attended the awarding ceremony, which
was so solemn and seemed loved by people of Stockholm.
I would very much appreciate to all people concerned , who gaveme such opportunity to make precious exchanges with the students
sharing to major sciences and to mutually understand various viewsand thoughts.
(by Ms. Sachiko lseki)

benefit of the public.
Seminars in the 1993 series have the yearly theme "Science and technology approaching to Human Body." Seminar titles from August throughDecember this year are "Social Behavior of Cells-normal and cancer cells"(August 25), "Neuro-computer- seek.ing for human computer" (September29), "Immunity- masterminding to maintain functions of human body"(October27), "Intellectual Robots-robots approaching to man" (November 24),and "Language Understanding System- computer that understands naturallanguages" (December 22).