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No. 59Jan. 20182018 Japan Prize Laureates Announced
This year’s Japan Prize will be awarded to Dr. Akira Yoshino
for his significant contributions to the development of lithium ion batteries,
and jointly to Dr. Max D. Cooper and Dr. Jacques Miller
for the establishment of the basic concepts underlying modern immunology“Resources, Energy, Environment and Social Infrastructure” field

Dr. Akira Yoshino“Medical Science and Medicinal Science” field

Dr. Max D. Cooper

Dr. Jacques Miller

Honorary Fellow,
Asahi Kasei Corporation

Professor,
Emory University School of Medicine

Professor Emeritus,
Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical ResearchJapan

United States

Australia

The Japan Prize Foundation has decided to award the 2018 (34th) Japan Prize to Dr. Akira Yoshino of Japan, Dr. Max D. Cooper of the UnitedStates and Dr. Jacques Miller of Australia.
In the field of “Resources, Energy, Environment and Social Infrastructure” , Dr. Akira Yoshino is being honored for the “development oflithium ion batteries” . Dr. Yoshino realized a practically viable lithium ion battery system by combining his original elemental technologies withexisting technologies. Digitization, the IT revolution, and the mobile revolution that arose in the early 90s would not have been possible without
the advent of lithium ion batteries. More recently, their importance to society continues to grow as lithium ion batteries are utilized to resolve theunstable supply of natural energy as a countermeasure to global warming. Dr. Yoshino’s original and breakthrough accomplishments are highly
significant, for they have formed the foundation of lithium ion battery technology and industry, thereby contributing to their widespread adoption.
Dr. Max D. Cooper and Dr. Jacques Miller are being honored in the field of “Medical Science and Medicinal Science” for the “discovery of B
and T lymphocyte lineages and its impact on understanding disease pathology and therapeutic development” , an accomplishment that has createdmajor ripple effects socially and economically. The establishment of the basic concepts underlying modern immunology by Dr. Cooper and Dr.
Miller fueled rapid advancements in basic and applied research. Recent developments in new anti-cancer drugs and anti-cytokine antibodies forthe treatment of autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease, are receiving great attention. Such advances
are the fruits of ceaseless efforts in basic and translational immunology research that unfolded in the wake of the pioneering discoveries of Dr.
Cooper and Dr. Miller.
As described, the achievements of the three laureates are deemed most eminently deserving of the Japan Prize, which honors contributions to
the advancement of science and technology that further the cause of peace and prosperity for all mankind.
The award presentation ceremony to honor the laureates will be held on April 18th of this year at the National Theatre in Tokyo.

The Japan Prize came into being after the late Mr. Konosuke Matsushita, thefounder of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (now known as Panasonic
Corporation), made a personal donation in response to the then government’s
wish to create a prestigious international prize for scientists from around theworld as a token of gratitude to the international community. With cabinet
endorsement, the prize was first awarded in 1985. The Japan Prize honors those

whose original and outstanding achievements are not only scientificallysignificant, but have also served to promote peace and prosperity for all
mankind. Each year, the foundation designates two fields for award
presentation in consideration of developments in science and technology. EachJapan Prize laureate receives a certificate of merit and a prize medal. A cash
prize of 50 million yen is also presented for each prize category.

“Resources, Energy,
Environment
Social Infrastructure”“Electronics,
Information
andandCommunication”
fieldfield
Achievement : Development of lithium ion batteries

Dr. Akira Yoshino (Japan)

Born: January 30, 1948 (Age: 70)
Honorary Fellow, Asahi Kasei Corporation

Summary
The lithium ion battery is a type of secondary battery capable ofcharge/discharge that has become the backbone of today’s mobile society
by powering smartphones and laptop PCs. It is also being adopted inelectric vehicles that are becoming increasingly widespread, serving
to reduce emissions of environment-impacting substances. In the early
1980s, Dr. Yoshino put forth the concept of the lithium ion battery anddemonstrated its charge/discharge capability. At the time, research on
batteries using lithium metal anodes was more predominant, with astrong focus on cathode materials and non-aqueous electrolyte solutions.
Dr. Yoshino proposed and demonstrated a viable secondary battery using
lithium cobalt oxide for the cathode and a carbon-based material forthe anode, which he combined with his original separator and current
collector technology. The resulting battery attained high voltage, highenergy density and a long-life. Lithium ion batteries have since continued
to improve through constant refinements in materials and manufacturingmethods, and their application is anticipated to grow into the future.

Lithium ion battery:
the key player in the mobile revolution
There are two types of batteries: primary and secondary. A primary
battery is only capable of a single discharge, whereupon its life is finished.
Notable examples include the zinc carbon battery and the alkaline battery
often found in remote-controllers and flash lights. A secondary battery, incontrast, can be recharged for repeated use.
The lithium ion battery, developed by Dr. Yoshino in the 1980s, is a
type of secondary battery. The secondary batteries in use at the time werethe lead acid battery and the nickel cadmium battery, with the nickel metal
hydride battery still under development. The lithium ion battery had an
advantage over such batteries, in that it was smaller, lighter, had higher
capacity and a longer life. Once it was adopted for practical use in 1991
as a battery for compact video cameras, it rapidly saw widespread use
in laptop PCs and smartphones, becoming the driving force in today’s
mobile revolution.
During the discharge of a secondary battery, reduction occurs at thecathode and oxidation at the anode, thereby causing electric current toflow from the cathode to the anode. Similarly, during a recharge, electric
current is externally applied in the opposite direction, causing a reverse
reaction. The battery contains an electrolyte solution, which conducts
electricity between the cathode and the anode. The lithium ion battery isa secondary battery that uses lithium ion metallic oxide, such as lithium
cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) for the cathode, carbon-based materials for theanode, and an organic solvent for its electrolyte solution. Operating on
the principle that lithium ions traverse the cathode-anode gap during thecharge/discharge cycle, the battery is able to produce a high voltage ofapproximately 3.9V.
Secondary batteries prior to the lithium ion battery used a water-based
solvent for their electrolyte solution, and could therefore only generate
an electromotive force below 1-2V, the threshold for the electrolysis
of water. A Lithium ion battery, in contrast, can generate a higher
electromotive force due to its use of an organic solvent with high-voltage
electrolytes. This offers the advantage of being able to power devices that
require high voltage with a single battery. Furthermore, the amount ofenergy that can be stored in a battery (charging capacity) is dependent on
the discharge voltage and the discharge amount (current x time), so thata stronger electromotive force translates into greater battery capacity.

It all began with Dr. Shirakawa’s discovery ofpolyacetylene
Upon graduating from Kyoto University in 1972 with a Master’s
degree in Engineering, Dr. Yoshino joined Asahi Chemical Industry
Co. (now known as Asahi Kasei Corporation). In 1981, he began
researching polyacetylene at the company’s laboratory. Polyacetylene
is a substance discovered in 1967 by Dr. Hideki Shirakawa (currently
Professor Emeritus, University of Tsukuba), who at the time was an
assistant researcher at the Tokyo Institute of Technology. Polyacetylene
has the ability to conduct electricity despite being an organic substance.
Primary batteries that used lithium for the anode were already inuse in the 1970s, and by the 1980s, many researchers were pursuingdevelopmental research on a secondary battery with a lithium anode.
At the time, there was a strong momentum in the development ofwhat we now call mobile devices, which created a need for a small,lightweight and high-capacity secondary battery. The fact that lithium is the most oxidizable of the elements made it ideal as an anodematerial, and it also has the highest electric quantity per unit weight
among the metallic elements. For these reasons, it was anticipatedthat if a secondary battery with a lithium anode capable of highvoltage and high energy density could be realized, it could meet theneeds of the times. Lithium, however, was not without its problems,for it is a highly flammable metal, and is prone to short-circuit withthe cathode when dendrites form on the lithium anode over multiple
charge/discharge cycles.
Dr. Yoshino, who was researching polyacetylene, considered using
it as an anode material instead of lithium, but soon reached a deadlock
because he could not find a suitable cathode material. At the time,
the phenomenon of lithium ions traversing layered materials, suchas titanium disulfide (TiS2), was already common knowledge. Suchlayered materials were thus being considered for use as a cathodematerial to be paired with a lithium anode. But using polyacetylene
as the anode was not enough for the battery to function, because there
would be no supply of lithium ions, which was the most essential
component.
Just around that time, Dr. Yoshino came across a paper reporting on
a new cathode material called LiCoO2,. This material could supply the
much-needed lithium ions, making it the ideal counterpart to a polyacetylene anode. Without hesitation, Dr. Yoshino conducted experiments
using this combination and confirmed that it successfully functioned
as a secondary battery. This took place in 1983. “I feel that this was amoment of discovery”, says Dr. Yoshino recalling that moment.
After this breakthrough, Dr. Yoshino led a research team to refine
the battery. The team sought carbon-based materials better suited forthe anode, and in 1985, filed a patent on the design of the lithium ion
battery as we know it today, composed of a LiCoO2 cathode and acarbon-based anode. The patent was granted in 1995.

The importance of proving the concept behind a system
The realization of the lithium ion battery by Dr. Yoshino would nothave been possible without the research and development efforts of many
researchers and engineers who came before him.
LiCoO2, the substance Dr. Yoshino used for the cathode, was discovered in 1979 by Dr. John B. Goodenough of the University of Texas and
Dr. Koichi Mizushima of the University of Tokyo, who was visiting Dr.
Goodenough’s laboratory on an exchange program. Dr. Goodenough not
only discovered this substance but also made distinguished achievementsin the basic field of solid-state chemistry, for which he was awarded the2001 Japan Prize.
Meanwhile, Dr. Yoshino had initially used polyacetylene for theanode but later switched to carbon-based materials. Because lithium ionstraverse the cathode-anode gap, the anode must be able to absorb andrelease lithium ions. There had also been preceding studies on this topic.
Graphite’s ability to absorb lithium ions was reported in 1975, and from

Dr. Yoshino’s POC
Cathode Cap

Gas exhaust valve

PTC
element

Current breaker

Enlarged sectional view of the cathodeSeparator(polyethylene)
GasketDr. Yoshino’s
originaltechnology

Dr. Yoshino’s
originaltechnology

Aluminum
foil current
collector

Insulating
plate
LiCoO₂Outer canCathode（LiCO2）

Dr. Goodenough’s
discovery

Anode(carbon-based material)

Patented by
Dr. MacDiarmid, Dr. Ikeda, etc.

By combining existing technologies with his own, Dr. Yoshino proposed anddemonstrated that the lithium ion battery system, in which“charge/discharge is achieved by the traversal of lithium ions through thecathode-anode gap,” is capable of delivering the performance necessary
for practical application.

1980 to 1981, patents were filed by Dr. Alan MacDiarmid of the University of Pennsylvania for the polyacetylene anode, and by Dr. Hironosuke
Ikeda of Sanyo Electric Co. for the graphite anode. Furthermore, there
was a proposal in 1980 of a battery with a lithium-inserted tungsten oxide(LixWO2) anode and a TiS2 cathode that permits the traversal of lithium
ions.
A secondary battery is a complex system. Even if one develops
cathode and anode materials of excellent quality, if the combination
cannot achieve the performance and safety necessary for practical use
and the capability to charge/discharge repeatedly, one cannot claim tohave developed a secondary battery. Dr. Yoshino was able to realize
the lithium ion battery system by discovering the right cathode-anodecombination and developing an original elemental technology. One of
his original technologies is the very thin polyethylene-based porous
membrane which he used as a separator between the battery’s cathodeand anode. Lithium ions can normally traverse the membrane pores,
but in case of abnormal overheating, the membrane melts and closes
off the pores, thereby halting the function of the battery. Dr. Yoshino
demonstrated through reliability tests that a polyethylene membrane ofa specific structure and composition could indeed prevent an overheatedbattery from exploding. His other original technology is the use ofaluminum foil as a current collector which draws electricity from thecathode. The various improvements he made on the current collector
achieved a necessary level of performance including high voltage andhigh capacity.
Dr. Yoshino’s greatest achievement is the establishment of the
POC (proof of concept) for the lithium ion battery, in which he demonstrated that the traversal of lithium ions through the cathode-anodegap enables the battery to be charged/discharged (see diagram). The
performance of lithium ion batteries has improved in the ensuing years
through refinements in materials and manufacturing methods. Besides
mobile devices, they are now being used in electric vehicles, serving tosignificantly reduce emissions of environment-impacting substances.
Furthermore, it is anticipated that “downcycling”, or the recycling of
retired lithium ion batteries from electric vehicles into electricity storage for solar power and the like, will become increasingly prevalent.
The lithium ion battery that Dr. Yoshino brought into the world has not
only made our lives dramatically more convenient, but is also playing a
crucial role in resolving the resource, energy and environmental issues
we face.

“Medical Science and Medicinal Science” field
Achievement : Discovery of B and T lymphocyte lineages andits impact on understanding disease pathology
and therapeutic development

Dr. Max D. Cooper (United States)
Born: August 31, 1933 (Age: 84)
Professor, Emory University School of Medicine
Dr. Jacques Miller (Australia)
Born: April 2, 1931 (Age: 86)
Professor Emeritus, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
Summary
Dr. Max D. Cooper and Dr. Jacques Miller discovered the “B and
T lymphocytes”, the two primary cell lineages involved in adaptive
immunity that are responsible for protecting our bodies from intrusion
by foreign substances. The B lymphocytes are responsible for the
production of antibodies that attack foreign substances such as
invading pathogens. T lymphocytes, on the other hand, are responsible
for attacking virus-infected cells and cancer cells, and assisting B
lymphocytes in the production of antibodies. Using mice, Dr. Miller
discovered that T lymphocytes are produced by the thymus, which wasconsidered a vestigial organ at the time. Dr. Cooper, on the other hand,
hypothesized that there are two cell lineages with different functionsin adaptive immunity and verified their existence through experiments
on chickens. Their pioneering achievements laid the foundation for
the next half century of developments in immunology from basic
concepts to applied research. The development of new therapeutic
drugs for cancers and immune disorders, which has been attracting
much attention in recent years, would not have been possible without
Dr. Cooper and Dr. Miller’s discoveries.

“B and T lymphocytes”,
the key players in adaptive immunity
Living organisms have an ingenious defensive mechanism called“immunity” that provides defense against foreign invaders, such as
pathogens, which threaten the body’s normal functions and condition,
thereby preventing the host from contracting epidemics. The immune
system keeps a record of past invasions, so that it could respond
immediately to defend the host in case of a recurring attack by thesame pathogen.
A living body has two types of defense mechanisms: “natural immunity”, which is innate to living organisms, and “adaptive (acquired) immunity”, which is specifically triggered in response to foreign invadersthat penetrate natural immunity’s defense barrier.
When foreign invaders such as pathogens break through the epithelial barrier into the body of the host, natural immunity immediately
responds by attacking the invader with a cell group consisting ofmacrophages, neutrophils and natural killer cells. A short time later,
the more sophisticated adaptive immunity takes over. The main
constituents involved here are the B lymphocytes (B cells) and T
lymphocytes (T cells).
Up until the early 1960s, when Dr. Cooper and Dr. Miller began theirresearch, interest among researchers was concentrated on antibodies. The
central concern of immunology in the first half of the twentieth century
was “humoral immunity”, or immune phenomena involving antibodies.
In contrast to antibodies contained in the serum, or the liquid part ofthe blood, immune phenomena caused by lymphocytes contained in blood
cells are called "cellular immunity". Since the 1940s, immune responses
involving lymphocytes, separate from humoral immunity, gradually cameto be better understood, and over time, facts suggesting the existence of
two types of immunity were reported. However, not until Dr. Cooper and
Dr. Miller reported their research results could the existence of the two
types be confirmed and the cells involved identified.

Tlymphocytes were being producedby the mysterious organ, "the thymus"
After studying at the University of Sydney Medical School, Dr.
Jacques Miller went to London in 1958 and began studying thepathogenesis of lymphocytic leukemia in mice at the Universityof London. At the time, Dr. Miller was strongly influenced by
the leading immunologists, Dr. Peter Medawar and his pupil, Dr.
James Gowans. Through experiments on rats, they discovered thatlymphocytes play an important role in the rejection of grafts.
Lymphocytic leukemia in mice, which Dr. Miller was studying,develops and spreads from the thymus due to viral infection.
Having hypothesized that the thymus is where virus multiplication
takes place, Dr. Miller decided to remove the thymus gland of anewborn mouse and see if injecting a virus would cause leukemia todevelop. The treated mouse grew unexpectedly weak, and dissection
revealed a reduction in lymphocytes in the lymph nodes and spleen.
Next, Dr. Miller transplanted a skin graft to the same mouse to see
if it would be rejected. He knew from Prof. Medawar and Gowans’
research that lymphocytes would normally cause the graft to be
rejected. But to his surprise, Dr. Miller observed that the skin of aheterologous mouse was successfully engrafted on the mouse with
its thymus removed.
Also, by marking the lymphocytes and observing their movement
throughout the body, he confirmed that lymphocytes originate fromthe thymus, which was regarded as a mysterious organ at the time.
These experiments confirmed that the thymus is the organ that
produces and delivers lymphocytes. When he reported this discovery
in 1961, Dr. Miller named this lymphocyte the thymus-dependent
lymphocyte, which later came to be known as the “T lymphocyte”,
with the T taken from the word, thymus.
In addition, Dr. Miller discovered that there are two types oflymphocytes with different functions, and that the thymus-dependent
lymphocytes (T lymphocytes) are not only involved in immune
responses that reject skin grafts, but also play a role in supporting
the function of myeloid-dependent lymphocytes (B lymphocytes)
responsible for the production of antibodies.

Demonstrating the two types of immune systems
using chickens
Dr. Max D. Cooper became a pediatrician after graduating fromthe Tulane University School of Medicine. From 1963, he conducted
research at the University of Minnesota under Prof. Robert Good,a leading figure in immunology research. At the time, Dr. Cooper
was fascinated by a report indicating the possibility that the bursaof Fabricius in chicken is involved in the production of antibodies.
Follow-up studies by other researchers also suggested that the bursaof Fabricius is responsible for immune functions different to that of
the thymus, but there was no conclusive evidence.
Meanwhile, Dr. Cooper, from his clinical experience as a pediatrician,found hints of the existence of the two types of immune systems. In apatient with a certain hereditary immunodeficiency disease, Dr. Cooper
detected sufficient levels of antibodies despite an abnormal proliferationof herpesviruses. However, in the case of another hereditary immunodeficiency disease, the patient was highly resistant to viral infection although
no antibody response could be observed. From these cases, Dr. Cooper
hypothesized that there are two types of adaptive immunity: one in whichantibodies are involved and one in which it is not.
To confirm the role of the bursa of Fabricius and the thymus, aswell as the existence of the two types of adaptive immunity, Dr.
Cooper conducted the following experiment.
Newborn chickens whose bursa of Fabricius or thymus had been
removed were irradiated with X rays to destroy any cells that may
have been created before hatching. Their immune functions were thenexamined in detail. The results showed that the chicken whose bursa

Dr. Cooper's experimental results

Thymus(Thymus)Bursa of Fabricius(Bursa of Fabricius)

T cells

B cells
Antibody
production

Chicken with the bursaof Fabricius removed
Chicken with thethymus removed

Rejectionof skin grafts

OK

Mostly OK

Chickens with the bursa of Fabricius removed cannot produce antibodies.
In chickens with the thymus removed, rejection of skin grafts do not occur.
This experiment confirmed the existence of B lymphocytes responsible for
antibody production and T lymphocytes responsible for rejection reactions.

of Fabricius had been removed had no antibodies, while the chicken
whose thymus had been removed had lost the ability to reject skingrafts, just like the mouse with its thymus removed (see figure).
This experiment revealed that cells derived from the bursa of
Fabricius are essential for antibody response, and that cells derived
from the thymus are involved in the rejection of skin grafts. Thus, theexistence of the B lymphocyte lineage responsible for humoral immunity and the T lymphocyte lineage responsible for cellular immunity
was demonstrated. Cells derived from the bursa of Fabricius cameto be called “B lymphocytes” with the B taken from the word, bursa.
Thereafter, Dr. Cooper and his colleagues revealed that in humans, B
lymphocytes are produced in the bone marrow, whose initial is also B.
Dr. Cooper further extended his findings to other animals through his
discovery that the basic mechanism of controlling adaptive immunity
by the two lymphocyte lineages is widely preserved in vertebrates, fromhumans to jawless species such as the lamprey, thereby deepening ourunderstanding of the evolution of adaptive immunity.

Epoch-making contributions to modern immunology
and to the treatment of intractable diseases and cancer
Dr. Cooper and Dr. Miller’s accomplishments established thebasic concepts underlying modern immunology and served as thedriving force behind the significant advances in immunology that
followed. In addition to major advances in the understanding of thepathology of numerous immune disorders including autoimmune
diseases, allergies and chronic inflammatory diseases, their concepts
have also been adapted into many new therapeutic and diagnostic
drugs. More recently, there has been grown anticipation surrounding
the substantial progress being made in new epoch-making cancer
treatments that utilize antibodies and immune cells, such as antibody
drugs, immune checkpoint inhibitors and genetically modified T-celltherapies. These developments are manifestations of the power ofmodern immunology, of which the foundation was laid by Dr. Cooperand Dr. Miller’s pioneering research, and their legacy will continue towidely benefit society into the future.

Nomination and Selection Process■

Every November, the Field Selection Committee of The Japan Prize Foundation designates and announces two
fields in which the Japan Prize will be awarded two years hence. At the same time, the Foundation calls for over
13,000 nominators, strictly comprised of prominent scientists and researchers from around the world invited by
the Foundation, to nominate the candidates through the web by JPNS (Japan Prize Nomination System). The
deadline for nominations is the end of February of the following year.

■

For each field, 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 froma wider perspective, including contributions to the progress of science and technology, and significant advancement
towards the cause of world 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 winners of that year’s Japan Prize are announced. The Presentation Ceremony is held in April in Tokyo.

July - October,2016

Considerthe fields
eligiblefor the 2018
Japan Prize

November
Determinethe fields eligible
for the 2018
Japan Prize
Resources, Energy,
Environment andSocial Infrastructure

End February, 2017

NovemberJanuary, 2018

April

Board ofDirectors

Announce
the Laureatesof the 2018
Japan Prize

The 2018
Japan Prize
Presentation
Ceremony

Selection Committee

Invite thenominations

Closing of
thenominations

Selection Subcommittee
for Resources, Energy,
Environment and Social
Infrastructure
Selection Subcommittee
for Medical Science andMedicinal Science

Medical Science andMedicinal Science

Members of the 2018 Japan Prize Selection Committee
MemberYoshinori Fujiyoshi

Masayuki Matsushita

Yoshihiro Hayashi

Yoshinao Mishima

Yoshio Karita

Shojiro Nishio

Yoichiro Matsumoto

Tadatsugu Taniguchi

Guest Professor
Cellular and Structural Physiology Institute Nagoya University

ChairmanVice Chairman

Hiroshi Komiyama

Ryozo Nagai

Chairman of the InstituteMitsubishi Research Institute, Inc.
The 28th Presidentof the University of Tokyo

President
Jichi Medical University

President / Director General
National Museum of Nature and Science
Director
The Japan Prize Foundation
Executive Director
RIKEN

Director
The Japan Prize Foundation

President
Tokyo Institute of Technology
President
Osaka University

Project Professor, Institute of Industrial Science
The University of Tokyo

Selection Subcommittee for the “Resources, Energy, Environment and Social Infrastructure” field
MemberTadafumi Adschiri

Norichika Kanie

Keisuke Hanaki

Keiko Sasaki

Yoshitsugu Hayashi

Naoki Shikazono

Professor
Institute of Science and Technology Research
Chubu University

Professor
Institute of Industrial Science
The University of Tokyo

Koichi Hishida

Akira Sudo

Yuya Kajikawa

Kenji Yamaji

Professor
The Advanced Institute for Materials Research
Tohoku University

Chairman

Deputy Chairman

Yoichiro Matsumoto

Kazuhiko Takeuchi

Executive Director
RIKEN

Director and Project Professor
Integrated Research System
for Sustainability Science
The University of Tokyo
Institutes for Advanced Study

Professor
School of Information Networking for Innovation and Design
Toyo University

Professor
Faculty of Science and Technology
Keio University
Professor
School of Environment and Society
Tokyo Institute of Technology

Professor
Graduate School of Media and Governance
Keio University
Professor
Faculty of Engineering
Kyushu University

Fellow
Toshiba Corporation

Director-General
Research Institute of Innovative Technology
for the Earth

Selection Subcommittee for the “Medical Science and Medicinal Science” field
Member

Ung-il Chung（Yuichi Tei）

Professor
Graduate Schools of Engineering and Medicine
The University of Tokyo

Yukiko Gotoh
Chairman

Deputy Chairman

Tadatsugu Taniguchi

Michiyuki Matsuda

Project Professor
Institute of Industrial Science
The University of Tokyo

Professor,
Graduate School of Biostudies
Kyoto University

Professor
Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences
The University of Tokyo

Hiroshi Hamada

Director
RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology

Seigo Izumo

Senior Vice President
Global Head of Regenerative Medicine Unit
Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited

Hajime Karasuyama

Executive Director/Executive Vice President
Tokyo Medical and Dental University

Hidehiro Mizusawa

President
National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry

Yoshihiro Ogawa

Professor, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University
Professor, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences
Tokyo Medical and Dental University

Kazuhiro Sakurada

Senior Researcher
Sony Computer Science Laboratories, Inc.

Rami Suzuki

Head of Japan Business Development
Johnson&Johnson Janssen Pharmaceutical K.K.

Motoko Yanagita

Professor
Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University( alphabetical order, titles as of January, 2018)

Fields Eligible for the 2019 Japan Prize
Area ofPhysics, Chemistry,
Informatics, Engineering

Materials and Production

Background and rationale:

The discovery and development of new materials with non-conventional properties and the development of advanced production technologies have brought about
numerous innovations, thereby contributing greatly to the sustainable development of our society and to the improvement of safety in social infrastructure.
For instance, we have designed and synthesized artificial materials, such as semiconductors, polymers, nanomaterials, catalysts and magnetic materials with new
functions, as well as new types of super heat-resistant materials and high-specific-strength structural materials.
We have also developed new industrial technology, such as design and manufacturing technologies supported by computational and data science,high-resolution/high-precision measurement techniques and nanostructured precision control processes, along with robot technology that improves the efficiency of
production processes.
In order to make effective use of finite resources and build a sustainable society for the future, we are in need of epoch-making innovations in the development of new
functional materials and structural materials, as well as in industrial design, production and operation technologies.

Achievement eligible:

The 2019 Japan Prize in the field of “Materials and Production” is awarded to an individual(s) who has made momentous scientific and technologicalbreakthroughs by developing materials with new functions, developing new structural materials that support social infrastructure or improving technologies forindustrial design, production and operation, which enable the creation of new products, services and industries that improve the quality, safety and security ofpeople’ s lives, thereby making a significant contribution to the sustainable development of society or to its potential for great advances in the future.
Area of
Life Science, Agricultureand Medicine

Biological Production, Ecology

Background and rationale:

As we experience a population explosion and face global environment changes, most notably global warming, overcoming environmental and food problems is critical forthe sustainable development of our society. To achieve this, we must protect the environment, which is the cradle for biological production, and at the same time, increase its
bioproductivity and ensure the ecologically harmonious use of biological resources.
Developments thus far have included advances in production technologies, the creation of environmentally adaptive breeds, the realization of environmentally harmonious
biological production, as well as the harnessing of organisms’ ability to produce useful substances, and the enhancement of functionality in foods.
There is also a great need for the advancement of basic science and technological innovation in such areas as the conservation and restoration of the environment and theecosystems, sustainable utilization of ecosystem service, and ecological forecasting.
In the future, collaboration across various fields, such as geoscience, the social sciences and the health/human life sciences, will be crucial in tackling the issues of
biological production and utilization, ecology and the environment, which cannot be solved independently by any one discipline.

Achievement eligible:

The 2019 Japan Prize in the field of “Biological Production, Ecology” is awarded to an individual(s) who has contributed significantly to the sustainable development of asociety in harmonious coexistence with life and the environment, or to its potential for great advances in the future, through the establishment of innovative new concepts
and the creation, development and dissemination of scientific and technological breakthroughs pertaining to biological production, as well as through advances in the basic
sciences in ecology and the environment.

Fields Selection Committee for the 2019 Japan Prize
Member

Yozo Fujino
ChairmanVice Chairman

Vice Chairman

Makoto Asashima

Kazuhito Hashimoto

Kohei Miyazono

Vice President
Tokyo Universityof Science

President
National Institutefor Materials Science

Professor
Department of MolecularPathology
Graduate School of Medicine
The University of Tokyo

Michiharu Nakamura

Distinguished Professor
Institute of Advanced Sciences
Yokohama National University

Counselor to the President
Japan Science and Technology Agency
Director, The Japan Prize Foundation

Yuichi Sugiyama

Ken Furuya

Professor, Department of Environmental
Engineering for Symbiosis
Graduate School of Engineering, Soka University
Specially Appointed Professor,
Department of Global Agricultural Sciences,
Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Science,
The University of Tokyo

Head, Sugiyama Laboratory
RIKEN Innovation Center

Mariko Hasegawa

Masayuki Yamamoto

President
SOKENDAI(The Graduate University for Advanced Studies)

Masaru Kitsuregawa

Director General, National Institute of Informatics
Professor, Institute of Industrial Science
The University of Tokyo

Mariko Takahashi
Science Coordinator
The Asahi Shimbun

Director General
National Institute for Basic Biology

Adviser

Kazuo Kyuma

Executive Member
Council for Science, Technology and Innovation
Cabinet Office( alphabetical order, titles as of November, 2017)

Schedule (2019-2021)

The fields eligible for the Japan Prize (2019 to 2021) 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.
Area of Physics, Chemistry and EngineeringYear

Eligible Fields

Area of Life Science, Agriculture and Medicine
Year

Eligible Fields

2019

Materials, Production

2019

Biological Production, Ecology

2020
2021

Electronics, Information, Communication
Resources, Energy, Environment, Social Infrastructure

2020
2021

Life Science
Medical Science, Medicinal Science