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

No. 17JANUARY 1997

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American and Japanese Scientists Named as Laureatesof the 1997 (13th) Japan Prize
Category of Biotechnology in Medicine

Dr. Takashi Sugimura

Dr. Bruce N. Ames

Category of Systems Engineering for an Artifactual Environment

Dr. Joseph F. Engelberger

Dr. Hiroyuki Yoshikawa

The Science Technology Foundation of Japan (Chairman:Jiro Kondo) anno unced that an American and a JapaneseMedicine". They demonstrated the close relationship between
mutagenicity and carcinogenicity based on data they had

Doctors who contributed to establishment of fundamental
concept on causes of cancer, and an American and a Japaneseaccumulated independently, and established a method toidentify environmental carcinogens by their mutagenicity. They
have made crucial contributions to the establishment of theDoctors who contributed to establishment of the robot industry
and creation of a techno-global paradigm, have been named aslaureates of the 1997 (13th) Japan Prize. These four scientists
will be honored during a Prize presentation ceremonyscheduled to be held at the National Theater in Tokyo on
Friday, April 25 , 1997. All will receive a certificate of merit,commemorative medal, and a cash award of¥50 million (about
US$420,000) for each category.
Dr. Takashi Sugimura (70), President Emeritus of National
Cancer Center and President of Toho University, and Dr. Bruce
N. Ames (68), Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular
Biology, University of California at Berkeley, will receive theJapan Prize in this year's category of "Biotechnology infundamental concept on causes of cancer.
In the other 1997 Japan Prize category, "SystemsEngineering for an Artifactual Environment" , the award went toDr. Joseph F. Engelberger (71), Chairman and Director of
HelpMate Robotics Inc., and Dr. Hiroyuki Yoshikawa (63),President of The University of Tokyo. They have contributed
greatly to "Systems Engineering for an ArtifactualEnvironment" , through the establishment of the robot industry
and in creation of a techno-global paradigm.
These four scientists will be honored during a Prize
presentation ceremony scheduled to be held at the National
Theater in Tokyo on Friday, April 25, 1997.

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Category of Biotechnology in Medicine

Category of Systems Engineering for an Artifactual Environment

Reasons for Award: Contribution to establishment offundamental concept on causes of cancer

Reasons for Award: Establishment of the Robot Industry andCreation of a Techno-Global Paradigm■ Dr. Takashi Sugimura (Japan)■ Dr.Joseph F. Engelberger (U.S.A.)

President Emeritus of National Cancer Center andPresident of Toho University■ Dr. Bruce N. Ames (U.S.A.)

Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,
University of California, Berkeley

Cancer is a disease caused by alteration of DNA. Dr.
Takashi Sugimura and Dr. Bruce N. Ames played a crucial role in
the establishment of this old but currently proved importantconcept in regard to cancer.
As early as 1957, Dr. Sugimura discovered the
carcinogenicity of a mutagen, 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide. In 1966,
he found that the subcutaneous administration of N-methyl-N'nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) to rats resulted in thedevelopment of fibrosarcoma. In 1967, he successfully induced
stomach cancer in rats by oral administration of MNNG.
Based on his long time studies of histidine biosynthesis in
Salmonella typhiminium, Dr. Bruce N. Ames first established anefficient in vitro assay for mutagens using Salmonella in 1971.
This method was modified and its efficiency improved and wastermed the "Ames test". The Ames test has been used widely inresearch institutes, industries and regulatory agencies around theworld not only for screening for environmental carcinogens andmutagens but also for analyzing mechanisms involved inmetabolic activation of carcinogens and for screening for antimutagenic compounds.
Dr. Sugimura and Dr. Ames independently established thefact that many carcinogens were mutagens. Using the Ames test,
Dr. Sugimura successfully isolated and identified many mutagens
with a structure of heterocyclic amine from foods cooked underordinary conditions.
He proved, by their long-timeadministration to rats and mice, that many of these compounds
were carcinogens. He further showed that tumors induced bythese heterocyclic amines had genetic alterations. Dr. Sugimura
further developed his studies to analyze multiple-stepcarcinogenesis at molecular levels and to promote effective
primary prevention of cancer.
Dr. Ames made furthercontributions to the understanding of endogeneous oxygenradicals in carcinogenesis and to the understanding of themechanisms involved in aging.
Dr. Sugimura and Dr. Ames demonstrated the close
relationship between mutagenicity and carcinogenicity based ondata they had accumulated independently, and established amethod to identify environmental carcinogens by theirmutagemc1ty. They have made crucial contributions to theestablishment of the fundamental concept on causes of cancer. In
view of their remarkable achievements, we recommend Dr.
Takashi Sugimura and Dr. Bruce N. Ames as awardees of the1997 Japan Prize for Biotechnology in Medicine.

Chairman and Director, HelpMate Robotics Inc.

■ Dr. Hiroyuki Yoshikawa (Japan)

President, The University of Tokyo

Dr. Engelberger foresaw from the beginning that machines
called robots would markedly improve productivity and was akey person in their development and introduction for practical
purposes . He has greatly contributed to the long-term expansion
and development of the world economy by innovatively
improving productivity in the manufacturing industry.
The Robot Industries Association of the United Stateshonored Dr. Engelberger by giving his name to the award of theassociation as Joseph F. Engelberger Robotics Award which isgiven annually during the symposium to individuals who havecontributed greatly to the science and application of robots .
Design and manufacturing engineering has contributed
greatly to improvement of manufacturing activities, resulting in ahigher quality of human life. However, the large-scale growth of
manufacturing has also created serious problems such asenvironmental destruction on a global scale, depletion ofresources and excessive competition.
Dr. Yoshikawa has engaged in the study of design andmanufacturing engineering with the aim of optimizing
productivity and the artifactual environment on a global scale.
He has shown that the professional disciplines associated with the
production of artifacts have been too specialized with respect tothe system of knowledge, which has made the solving of these
problems difficult.
He has played a leading role in research in the systematizing
knowledge related to design and manufacturing and has
developed a new field called general design theory. Based on
this concept, he has proposed that artifactual engineering beaimed at systematization of knowledge in order to solve theabove global problems.
To realize this goal, he proposed an international joint
research project, the Intelligent Manufacturing Systems Program,which was established in 1994 and in which Japan, the U.S.A.,
some European countries, Canadaand Australia are participating.
As described above, Dr.
Engelberger and Dr. Yoshikawa
have contributed greatly to "Systems Engineering for an
Artifactual Environment" throughthe establishment of the robot
industry and in creation of atechno-global paradigm.
Forthese reasons, they both deservethe 1997 Japan Prize.
View of Press Conference

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Members of The 1997(13th) Japan Prize
Selection Committee
NameChairman: Jira Kondo

PostChairman, The Science and Technology Foundation of Japan
Director-General, Research Institute of Innovation Technology for the Earth

Selection Panel for Biotechnology in Medicine
Chairman: Masaaki TeradaDirector, National Cancer Center Research Institute

Acting Chairman: Michio Oishi Director-General, National Institute of Bioscience and Human-Technology
Member: Tadamitsu Kishimoto Dean, Professor and Chairman, Medical School, Osaka Univers ity
Mem ber: Takao Sekiya

Chairmen of th e Selection Pan els, Dr. Terada and Dr. Ohsuga,
explain the se lection process at the Directors Meeting.

Chief, Oncogene Division, National Cancer Center Research InstituteMember: Kumao Toyoshima

President, Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases
Professor, Department of Molecular Neurobiology,
Member: Katsuhiko Mikoshiba The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo

Selection Panel for Systems Engineering for an Artifactual Environment
Chairman: Setsuo Ohsuga

Professor, School of Science and Engineering, Waseda University

Member: Yoji Umetani

Professor and Director of Unive rsity Library, Toyota Technological InstituteMember: Naomasa Nakajima

Professor, Graduate Sc hool of Engineering, The University of Tokyo

Member: Yoshikazu Nishikawa Dean and Professor, Faculty of Information Sciences, Osaka Institute of Technology
Member: Yukio Hasegawa

Professor, System Science Institute, Waseda University

Chairman Jira Kondo receives the list of recommended candidates.

International Exchange Activities
The Science and Technology Foundation of Japan
maintains a close relationship with the Novel Foundation inSweden. Every year it sends two Japanese students to theStockholm International Youth Science Seminar (SIYSS), anannual meeting held during the Novel Prize Week in early
December sponsored by the Swedish Federation of Young
Scientists and supported by the Nobel Foundation.
This year, The Science and Technology Foundation ofJapan sent Mr. Daisuke Kurabayashi of The University ofTokyo and Mr. Jun Koyama of Tokyo Institute of Technology
to the Stockholm International Youth Science Seminar. Theirreport follows.

At the Youth Hostel (Back row: Mr. Koyama left, Mr. Kurabayashi on his left)

Many of the twenty attendants were winners ofmathematics competitions. We all stayed at the same youth
hostel during the seminar where we duly made friends. It wasvery constructive for us to be able to make friends with these
excellent students from various countries. (The five secretariat
members were all students and they took good care of theattendants.) At the reception, we had chances to talk with theprizewinners. We were impressed that all were so frank andkind. On December 10, we witnessed a gorgeous ceremony
but we thought that the atmosphere was relaxed. The banquet
was spectacular. The dishes were served while music wasplayed and a short play was presented. After the ball, we all
stayed up at the Hall until late that night, excited as we were.
At the Parliament

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Foundation's Annual Science andTechnology Seminar Held in Fukuoka

Categories Selectedfor the 1998 (14th) Japan PrizeA special annual seminar to discuss the general scienceand technology in plain language was held on November 28,
1996, in Fukuoka, one of Japan's largest cities. This is fifth
year that thi s seminar has been held in Fukuoka.
In Tokyo, the Foundation has held a monthly seminarfor the general public since March 1989. In thi s seminar,
famous scientists lecture about various topics in science andtechnology in plain language to develop and di sseminate
information and ideas regarding science and technology.
The Fukuoka version of the seminar was launched rn
1990 as a result of an agreement reached between theFoundation and the Fukuoka City Municipal Office marking
the establi shment of the Fukuoka Asian Culture Award.
The 1996 Fukuoka special seminar was held in theFukuoka Software Research Park, SRP, attended by some
150 people. The lectures were delivered by Prof. Setsuo
Arikawa of the Graduate School of Information Science andElectrical Engin eering, Kyushu University; and Prof.
Hiromichi Morikawa of Graduate Department of Gene
Science, Faculty of Science, Hiroshima University. Prof.
Arikawa spoke about "Knowledge Discovery from ScientificData" , and Prof. Morikawa spoke about "Air-Pollutant Philic Plant - a dream Plant of 21st century ... "The Science and Technology Foundation of Japan has
announced the two categories for the 1998 (14th) Japan Prize.
The categories are "Generation and Design of New Materials
Creating Novel Functions" and "Biotechnology inAgricultural Sciences."

Prof . Hiromichi Morikawa

Concepts of the Categories
Generation and Design of New Materials Creating Novel Functions
Recently, we have made rapid progress in the area of materials
science and technology. Most of them are definitely based upon themethodology of generation and design of novel structures having
controllability at the atomic and molecular level. Due to theseadvances, various new material functions and characteristics havebeen generated, which has contributed to the innovation of scienceand engineering.
The Prize for 1998 will feature the aforementioned field of"Generation and Design of New Materials Creating Novel Functions".
The Prize will beawarded to a pioneering individual who has
substantially contributed to the dramatic progress of this science andtechnology making a strong impact on society.

Biotechnology in Agricultural Sciences
The promotion of sustainable agricultural production compatible
with the preservation of the environment will become difficult in future
in view of the rapid increase of the population, particularly in thedeveloping regions of the world.
In order to address this problem, the development ofbiotechnology is considered to be one of the key issues.
The prize for 1998 will be awarded for outstandingachievements in the development of biotechnology in agriculturalsciences relating to genetics, breeding and cultivation to improve theyield, quality and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses, including
post-harvest biotechnology to reduce the losses and deterioration ofagricultural products during transportation, storage and processing.

Kamiyacho Mori Building where the Office of the Foundation
is Located