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No. 58May 2017

www.japanprize.jp

2017 (33rd) Japan Prize Presentation Ceremony
Three scientists from Israel, France and the U.S. receive the prizein the presence of Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress

The Japan Prize Presentation Ceremony was held on Wednesday, April 19th at the National Theatre in the presence of Their
Majesties the Emperor and Empress. The Japan Prize is an international award presented to individuals whose original andoutstanding achievements in science and technology have served to promote peace and prosperity for mankind.
The 2017 (33rd) Japan Prize was awarded in two fields, namely, "Electronics, Information and Communication" and "LifeScience." Dr. Adi Shamir of Israel was recognized for laying the foundation for the information security of today through his
pioneering research on cryptography. Meanwhile, Prof. Emmanuelle Charpentier of France and Dr. Jennifer A. Doudna of the
U.S. were recognized for elucidating the genome editing mechanism by the CRISPR-Cas. A certificate of merit and a prize medal
were presented to each laureate.
Each year, the Japan Prize Foundation receives nominations from prominent scientists and researchers worldwide, from which
candidates are chosen through a rigorous year-long selection process. Of the fields eligible for the prize in 2017, the "Electronics,
Information and Communication" field received 137 nominations, and the "Life Science" field received 187 nominations, fromwhich the three laureates were selected.

The Japan Prize came into being after the late Mr. Konosuke Matsushita,
the founder of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (now known as
Panasonic Corporation), responded in 1982 with a personal donation to
the then government’s wish to create a prestigious international prize forscientists from around the world as a token of gratitude to internationalsociety. With a cabinet endorsement, the Prize was first awarded in
1985. Since that year, the Japan Prize Foundation has awarded the Japan
Prize to 88 laureates from 13 countries, to date.

"Electronics, Information and Communication" field

Contribution to information
security through pioneeringresearch on cryptography

Dr. Adi Shamir
Born: July 6, 1952
Professor, Weizmann Institute of Science"Life Science" field

Elucidation of the genome
editing mechanismby the CRISPR-Cas

Prof. Emmanuelle Charpentier
Born: December 11, 1968
Director, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology (Berlin)

Dr. Jennifer A. Doudna
Born: February 19, 1964
Professor, University of California, Berkeley

Message from the laureate
It is an immense honor to be here in the presence of their

this area as a thriving scientific field, along with my colleagues

majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan and all the other

Diffie, Hellman, Rivest, Adleman and others, and would like todistinguished guests, and to receive the highly prestigious Japan

thank them for the many years of fruitful collaboration.

Prize. I would like to thank the Japan Prize committee for their

Receiving the Japan Prize is particularly satisfying for me since I

selection, and the Japan Prize Foundation for organizing thishave so many Japanese colleagues and friends, many of whom arewonderful event.

present here. In fact, some of my most important scientific

I believe that my selection was not only due to my personalscientific achievements, but also due to the increasing importance ofdata and cyber security research.

discoveries were made possible by the very fruitful discussions I had
with them during my many visits to Japan over the last 30 years.
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank myPreventing attacks, preserving privacy, and safeguarding personal

supportive family, for always being there.

and national digital assets had become a critical part of our lives. I am
Adi Shamirproud to be one of the first few researchers who helped to establish

Message from the laureate
Their Majesties, the Emperor and Empress of Japan, Distinguisheddignitaries and scientists, Dear colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, I
am deeply honoured to receive the Japan Prize from the Japan Prize
Foundation. It is an extraordinary privilege for me to be consideredamong the esteemed laureates of this most prestigious of prizes.
I am very grateful to the members of the board of directors andthe members of the selection committee who have supported thenomination of CRISPR-Cas9 for this prize recognizing
international achievements in science and technology.
I would like to share this recognition with my former andpresent team members, colleagues and collaborators who havebeen involved in the discovery and development of CRISPR-Cas9,
and who have trusted my vision for this project. The prize
recognizes over a decade of hard work and dedication on the partof a team of young researchers with which it has been my pleasure
to collaborate. I especially wish to thank Maria Eckert, Elitza
Deltcheva, Krzysztof Chylinski and Martin Jinek.
I would also like to gratefully acknowledge my former mentors,

my colleagues, friends and family and all the passionate researchers
who have strongly influenced my work and career over the years. I
thank particularly Rodger Novak for his trust and support, and also
Shaun Foy for co-founding ERS Genomics and CRISPR TX.
I will continue to advocate for research addressing fundamental
biological questions, as this has been and will always be the foundationof innovation in biotechnology and medicine. It brings me delight tosee that research on what were considered obscure regulatory
mechanisms in a human pathogen has given rise to CRISPR-Cas9, arevolutionary genome editing and engineering technology. The
curiosity, and the quest for knowledge and understanding that led tothese discoveries have always been the driving forces in my career andmy life. In receiving this honour tonight, I hope to encourage andinspire young scientists to cultivate curiosity, nurture a sense ofwonder, and ask the fundamental questions.
Thank you.
Emmanuelle Charpentier

Message from the laureate

It is a great honor to stand here this afternoon in the presence of
their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan, with so many
distinguished guests and several of my Japanese friends.
I would like to thank the Japan Prize Foundation president
and foundation members as well as the members of the prize
selection committee, for their support of fundamental science. I
am greatly honored to receive the Japan Prize which honors thework of my collaborator Emmanuelle Charpentier and myself
and our lab members, Martin Jinek, Kryz Chylinski, Michael
Hauer and Ines Fonfara.
I consider the award a strong endorsement of curiosity-driven,
fundamental discovery science. We are here because of the awesome
power of bacteria! At a time when many countries are cutting backon funding for fundamental research, this award and the work that it
honors serve to emphasize the intrinsic value of science to society.
There are many people that I am deeply grateful to, and I’ dlike to especially thank my mentors including Jack Szostak, Tom
Cech, Sharon Panasenko, Fred Grieman, Tom Steitz, Joan Steitz,

Robert Tjian, Paul Alivisatos and Michael Botchan for theirunwavering support and guidance at key points in my career.
I’ d also like to thank my colleagues at UC Berkeley andelsewhere who have been constant supporters and just fabulous
people to work with. I am of course also indebted to the many
wonderful students and postdocs who have worked with me over
the years including Martin Jinek, now a faculty member at the
University of Zurich.
And I am most grateful to my supportive family members - mysisters Sarah and Ellen Doudna, and especially my husband Jamie
Cate and my son Andrew, who have been steadfast supporters of
my personal and professional journey in life.
Thanks again to all of you for being here and supporting
science and the technologies that come from it, for the
improvement of human health and the world we live in.
Jennifer A. Doudna

Presentation Ceremony

The 2017 (33rd) Japan Prize Presentation Ceremony was held at the National Theatre in the presence of Their Majesties the Emperor andEmpress. The magnificent occasion was celebrated by approximately 1,000 attendees, including distinguished guests such as Mr. Tadamori
Oshima, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Chuichi Date, President of the House of Councillors, Mr. Itsuro Terada, Chief Justice of
the Supreme Court, Mr. Hirokazu Matsuno, Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Mr. Yosuke Tsuruho, Minister ofState for Special Missions, as well as prominent academic and business figures.
At the presentation ceremony, which opened with a glorious rendition of “Overture to the Japan Prize Ceremony - Overture Japan,” family
and friends watched as the laureates were presented with a certificate of merit and a prize medal by Chairman Hiroyuki Yoshikawa of the Japan
Prize Foundation. The three laureates received warm applause from the audience as they held up the prize medals and expressed their joy intheir acceptance speeches.
The ceremony was followed by a commemorative concert, in which Tokyo Geidai Symphony Orchestra performed “Vltava” from Smetana’ s“Má vlast” as requested by Dr. Shamir, the third movement of Brahms’ s Symphony No. 3, Op. 90 as requested by Prof. Charpentier, andRavel’ s “Boléro” as requested by Dr. Doudna.

Dr. & Mrs. Adi ShamirCongratulatory addressby H.E. Mr. Tadamori Oshima,
Speaker of the House ofRepresentatives

Prof. Emmanuelle
Charpentier

Opening remarksby Dr. Yoshio Yazaki,
President of the Japan
Prize Foundation

Dr. & Mr. Jennifer A. Doudna

Selection results
by Dr. Hiroshi Komiyama,
Chairman of the Selection
Committee

Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress
attending the presentation ceremony

Commemorative concert
by the Tokyo Geidai Symphony Orchestra

Banquet

Following the presentation ceremony, a banquet in honor of the laureates was held at Hotel New Otani Tokyo. In response to a toast given by His
Majesty the Emperor, over 300 guests raised their glasses to congratulate the three laureates on their achievements once again. Amid the beautiful
strains performed by a string quartet and a harp, Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress engaged in pleasant conversation with the laureates andtheir partners seated by their side. The banquet, which spanned an hour and a half, came to a close with a congratulatory message from President
Date of the House of Councillors and acknowledgement speeches from the laureates.
Dr. Shamir spoke on the importance of science education based on his own experience, and expressed his gratitude to the Weizmann Institute of
Science for giving him a wonderful early introduction to science, and for later becoming his scientific home. Prof. Charpentier stated, “it is an
extraordinary privilege for me to be considered among the esteemed laureates of this most prestigious of prizes,” and thanked her former and present
research team members, colleagues, mentors, etc. as well as the Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden at Umeå University, withwhich she is affiliated, for enabling her to develop CRISPR-Cas9 from a bacterial immune system into a genome editing technology. Dr. Doudna
expressed her appreciation to her family, particularly her husband, Jamie, for their steadfast support. She revealed that the countless discussions she
had with her husband about experiments and data have inspired her and continue to motivate her in the lab and beyond. Finally, Dr. Doudna thanked
all those who support science and the technologies that come from it, for the improvement of human health and the world we live in.

Toast by His Majesty the Emperor of Japan

Congratulatory address by H.E. Mr. Chuichi Date,
President of House of Councillors

Opening addressby Prof. Hiroyuki Yoshikawa ,Chairman of
the Japan Prize Foundation

Acknowledgment
by Prof. Emmanuelle Charpentier

Acknowledgment
by Dr. Adi Shamir

Acknowledgment
by Dr. Jennifer A. Doudna

2017 (33rd) Japan Prize Commemorative Lectures
On Thursday, April 20th, the day after the presentation ceremony, commemorative lectures by Dr. Shamir, Prof. Charpentier and Dr. Doudna
were held at the Ito International Research Center, the University of Tokyo. In front of 300 members of the audience, comprised ofresearchers and the general public, Dr. Shamir spoke on the topic of “Cryptography: Past, Present, Future,” Prof. Charpentier on “Origins, Mechanisms
and Evolution of the CRISPR-Cas9 Technology,” and Dr. Doudna on “A CRISPR World: From Biology to Technology of Genome Editing.”
Prior to the lecture, discussion meetings were held among the three laureates and young researchers. At the meeting with Dr. Shamir, four
researchers selected from the participants presented their research topics on cryptography, and received advice and questions from Dr. Shamir.
At the meeting with Prof. Charpentier and Dr. Doudna, all of the researchers in attendance introduced themselves and their research topics,
after which the floor was open to questions to the laureates. Both meetings resulted in heated discussions, through which the laureates gave
their heartfelt encouragement to the young up-and-coming researchers.
"Electronics, Information and Communication" field
Topic

Cryptography: Past, Present, Future（Dr. Adi Shamir）

Dr. Shamir pioneered the field of cryptography using mathematical methodology, and elevated it to the status of an academic discipline, “cryptology.” Heopened the lecture by describing the thriving state of present-day cryptology, saying, “today, cryptology is studied at most major universities in the world, andthousands of papers are submitted and hundreds of conferences held every year.” He then went on to reflect on its past.
For many years, cryptography was a domain limited to the select few, such as government, military, diplomatic personnel and spies, and studied by very few
researchers. The situation changed dramatically in the 1970s. The advent of the internet, the growing availability of personal computers, and the installation ofATMs by banks created a need to check account numbers and other secret information of individuals and groups. Thus, cryptography became an essential
component of digital networks.
1977 was a watershed year. Having obtained his Ph. D. from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, Dr. Shamir took up his first academic post as a young
researcher in the Department of Mathematics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the U.S. in January of that year. In that first month, he took asudden interest in the world of cryptography, about which he knew nothing. He was intrigued by a new method called the “public key cryptography” proposed byyoung researchers at Stanford University. Working on the proposal with his colleagues at MIT, Dr. Rivest and Dr. Adleman, Dr. Shamir co-invented the “RSA
cryptosystem,” the world’ s first public key cryptosystem in April. This was to become a landmark achievement in the field of cryptology.
In the 1980s, Dr. Shamir returned to the Weizmann Institute of Science, where he established a cryptographic research group. Initially, there were only about fifty
cryptography researchers worldwide, but their numbers increased steadily, leading to a succession of remarkable research accomplishments, including Dr. Shamir’ s“identification scheme.” At the same time, the divergence of mathematical theory from practice became an issue. For example, theory could not provide an answer tothe question, “is the RSA public key cryptosystem and the DES common key cryptosystem really secure?”
Shortly after his first visit to Japan in 1988, Dr. Shamir shifted the focus of his research to tackle practical questions. In 1990, he proposed “differential cryptanalysis,”a general method to decipher common key cryptosystems. Dr. Shamir reflected that, “through discussions with Japanese researchers, I was able to find a new path.”"Life Science" field
TopicsOrigins, Mechanisms and Evolution of the CRISPR-Cas9 Technology（Prof. Emmanuelle Charpentier）

A CRISPR World: From Biology to Technology of Genome Editing（Dr. Jennifer A. Doudna）

Genome editing by the CRISPR-Cas9, achieved by the joint research between Prof. Charpentier and Dr. Doudna, has been rapidly adopted in a wide range offields as a revolutionary new technology in genetic engineering that can be applied to any cell in any organism.
Only five years have passed since their first paper was published in 2012. The two researchers marvel at the momentum it has taken on, finding it “remarkablethat it has already reached the clinical research stage.” Receiving extensive coverage even in media geared to the general public, the impact and anticipation
surrounding the technology places it among the top achievements in life science research in recent years.
The catalyst for the realization of this technology was the curious repeating sequences observed in bacterial DNA. Although Dr. Yoshizumi Ishino and his team at Osaka
University first reported a repeating sequence in an E. Coli genome in 1987, its significance remained a mystery for many years. It was later discovered that this sequence,
named CRISPR, is a structure made up of the DNA of invaders, such as viruses, which have been cut out and stored in the bacterium’ s DNA, and is involved in theadaptive immunity of bacteria. It is an ingenious system which memorizes the invader, stores it, and detects it upon the next infection so that it can be destroyed instantly.
Prof. Charpentier, a microbiologist who was studying the regulatory functions of RNA molecules at the University of Vienna, became interested in CRISPR
early on. In 2009, through her work with streptococcus pyogenes, she hypothesized that Cas9 and two RNA enzymes play an important role in a bacterium’ s
immune system. Meanwhile, Dr. Doudna, a researcher studying RNA at the University of California, became aware of the hypothesis, and sought to elucidate
RNA’ s molecular mechanism by further exploring its function.
As a result of the research collaboration between their research groups that arose out of their meeting at an academic conference in 2011, they elucidated thedetailed mechanism of how the complex formed by the Cas9 enzyme and two types of RNA that have been transcribed from the stored viral DNA fragment
cleaves the two DNA strands of a re-invading virus with pin-point accuracy.
Their research extended beyond elucidating the mechanism, proposing that when a synthesized RNA that corresponds to the target DNA locus is introduced
into the cell together with Cas9, it could cut DNA at arbitrary locations, paving the way to a new form of genome editing. In 2013, Dr. Doudna and her teamreported on genome editing in a live mammalian cell.
Their research has brought about a speedy, simple and low cost technology to freely edit genomes, much as one rewrites part of text on a computer. The fields ofapplication span medicine, pharmaceutical development, agriculture, livestock breeding, etc. A wide range of applications have been reported, including the developmentof hornless cattle, mosquitos resistant to the dengue virus, treatment of genetic blood disorders and attempts to develop pigs that can serve as organ donors to humans.
Yet, the development of such a powerful tool gives rise not only to possibilities but also to the danger of producing unexpected results. The manipulation of
germline cells that would be passed down to future generations and genome editing that threatens biodiversity are some of the ethical issues that abound. The firstinternational conference to discuss the ethical issues associated with genome editing was held in 2015.
The laureates concluded the lecture with the following message to young scientists. “Follow your instincts, explore with an open mind, and place importance on
fundamental questions. Science is fun.”Japan Prize Week
Welcome Reception

Welcome Reception at French Embassy

（MON）

/18

4

Academic Roundtable Discussion

J A P A N

/17

4

（TUE）

Presentation Ceremony

Banquet

（WED）

/20

4

W E E K

/19

4

Courtesy Call on the Japan Academy

P R I Z E

Courtesy Call on the Prime Minister Abe

Commemorative Lectures/22

4

Sightseeing in Kyoto（SAT）

In Katsura Imperial Villa

In Matsushita Shinshin-An

P H O T O S（THU）Fields Eligible for the 2018 Japan Prize
The fields eligible for the 2018 (34th) Japan Prize are "Resources, Energy, Environment and Social Infrastructure" and "Medical Scienceand Medicinal Science."
The Japan Prize Foundation has received numerous nominations from the 13,000 registered nominators worldwide, and the rigorous
selection process by the foundation's Japan Prize Selection Committee has already begun. The announcement of winners is scheduled totake place in January 2018, followed by a presentation ceremony in April.
Area ofPhysics, Chemistry and Engineering

Resources, Energy, Environment and Social Infrastructure

Background and rationale:

A major goal for humankind is the realization of the sustainable development of our society while overcoming various limitations in resources, energy,
and the environment, as affirmed by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015. Widening social disparity and the increasing
number of communities vulnerable to disasters are of growing concern, as the impact of climate change accumulates and urbanization intensifies.
Thus, we are in serious need of further innovation in the effective development, utilization and recycling of water and resources, various
energy-related technologies, and social infrastructure technologies for cities and transportation systems. Another key challenge is to spur innovation in
fundamental technologies for the realization of a resilient society capable of predicting and responding to environmental changes, as well as ofpreventing and mitigating natural and human made disasters.

Achievement eligible:

The 2018 Japan Prize in the field of “Resources, Energy, Environment and Social Infrastructure” is awarded to an individual(s) who has achieved
breakthroughs in the creation, innovation, development or dissemination of science and technology, thereby contributing towards the sustainability ofhuman society and the improvement of the global environment.
Area of
Life Science, Agriculture and Medicine

Medical Science and Medicinal Science

Background and rationale:

In recent years, developments in modern science have brought about remarkable advancements in the field of medical science and medicinal science.
Revolutionary medical technologies like individually optimized precision medicine driven by personalized diagnosis and genomic medicine, and regenerative
medicine have been established one after another, alongside the elucidation of pathological mechanisms for various diseases. While diseases associated withaging and changes in lifestyle are on the rise, emerging infectious diseases and resistant bacteria, fueled by globalization, have also become a worldwide issue.
In such times of change, it is highly anticipated that medical science and medicinal science, integrated with other disciplines like engineering andinformation science, will make a greater contribution towards healthy living. These include the creation and spread of new medical treatments, thedevelopment and production of new drugs as well as the development of drug delivery systems.

Achievement eligible:

The 2018 Japan Prize in the field of “Medical Science and Medicinal Science” is awarded to an individual(s) who has achieved scientific and technologicalbreakthroughs, such as new discoveries or the development of innovative technologies on the “prevention”, “diagnosis”, “treatment” or “prognosis” of
diseases, thereby contributing towards the health and well-being of mankind.

The Japan Prize Foundation
The Japan Prize Foundation was established in 1982, with the aim of contributing to the further development of science and technology.
In addition to recognizing outstanding achievements with the Japan Prize, the Foundation has been promoting science and technology by
hosting the "Easy-to-understand Science and Technology Seminars" and awarding Research Grants to help nurture young scientists.

Research Grants
The Foundation provides research grants
to scientists and researchers under 35 yearsof age. Every year, the Foundation selects
projects in the same fields as thecorresponding Japan Prize and gives one
million Japanese yen for a project. In 2015,
studies in “Clean & Sustainable Energy”
were added as an eligible field of study tothe two fields designated for the 2015 Japan
Prize. The Foundation awarded research
grants to 250 young scientists since theprogram’ s inception in 2006.

“Easy-to-Understand Science andTechnology Seminars”

Stockholm International YouthScience Seminar (SIYSS)For junior and senior high school
students, the Foundation holds a series ofseminars on advanced technologies
commonly used in everyday life byinviting Research Grant recipients as
lecturers. They explain state-of-the-art
technologies in plain terms. The program
began in March 1989 and has since
executed 295 seminars across Japan by theend of 2014.

Each year, the Japan Prize Foundation provides
an opportunity for young scientists to exchange
opinions with their peers on an international levelby sending two students to the StockholmInternational Youth Science Seminar hosted by
the Swedish Federation of Young scientists withthe support of the Nobel Foundation. Youngscientists from Japan and elsewhere in the world
attend various events during Nobel Week in
Stockholm. Since the program started in 1987,
the Japan Prize Foundation has provided thisvaluable opportunity to 60 undergraduate/
graduate students.