Japan Prize
The Japan Prize consists of a certificate, a commemorative medal and a cash award of ¥50 million. No discrimination is made as to nationality, occupation, race, or gender. Only living persons may be named. Every November, the Japan Prize Foundation selects two fields for the award according to current trends in science and technology. The nomination and selection process takes about one year. The laureates, one from each field, are announced in January. The prestigious prize presentation ceremony is held in the presence of the Emperor and the Empress of Japan. According to his book "Dancing Naked  in the Mind Field", Kary Mullis, 1993 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, addressed Empress Michiko as "sweetie" when being awarded the prize in 1993 for the development of the polymerase chain reaction. The events are also attended by the Prime Minister, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President of the House of Councillors, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, foreign ambassadors to Japan and about a thousand other distinguished guests, including eminent academics, researchers and representatives of political, business and press circles. The 2014 Japan Prize Presentation Ceremony was held on April 23 at the National Theatre in  Tokyo. At present the international prize is often considered one of the most prestigious awards in science and technology fields after the Nobel Prize. According to an article in the scientific journal "Nature Immunology", the prize is one of the prestigious science awards that recognize immunology as well as Nobel Prize, Sweden (since 1901), Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award, USA (since 1946), Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize, Germany (since 1952), Canada Gairdner International Award, Canada (since 1959), Wolf Prize, Israel (since 1978), and Crafoord Prize, Sweden (since 1980). Background. The creation of the Japan Prize was motivated by  the desire to express Japan's gratitude to international society. This plan was supported with the funds donated by Konosuke Matsushita, the founder of Panasonic Corporation. He was the first chairman of the Japan Prize Preparatory Foundation. In 1982 the Japan Prize Preparatory Foundation is established and then the establishment of the Japan Prize is endorsed by the Cabinet. In 1985 The 1st Japan Prize Presentation Ceremony is held in Tokyo.