All people around the world hope for peace and prosperity, and when we look back over the course of human history, we discover just how immense a role science and technology have played in reaching towards that goal.
The Japan Prize is an international award presented to individuals whose original and outstanding achievements are not only scientifically impressive but have also served to promote peace and prosperity for all mankind. From the first prize ceremony held in in 1985 to the 40th ceremony held this past year (2024), the Foundation has awarded the prize to 111 laureates from 14 countries. The most notable feature of the Japan Prize is its strong emphasis on contributions to society, as clearly stated in the philosophy on which the prize was founded. When I look back over the achievements of those Japan Prize recipients from this perspective, I am strongly reminded that the Prize has reflected how the progress of science and technology has overlapped the development of human peace and prosperity.
When we look back at the sequence of events that led to the establishment of the Japan Prize, we sense that the founders had a profound sense of gratitude for Japan’s rapid reconstruction and development in the wake of World War II, which was achieved due to the fruits of a broad range of science and technology, and wished to express that gratitude to the world.
The hopes and dreams of the many people involved with the establishment of the award are still passed down to us today, including those of the first chairman, Konosuke Matsushita, who described achieving peace and prosperity for humanity as his “lifelong ambition.”
Every year in April, the Presentation Ceremony is held in Tokyo in the presence of Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan. It is also attended by the representatives of the three branches of government ‒ legislative, executive, and judicial ‒ and by other distinguished guests from the fields of academia, government, and business. The Japan Prize has become what it is today through the support of this immense number of people, and it is to them that I would like to express my deepest gratitude.
Scientific and technological progress will continue to play an enormous role in the quest for the future peace and prosperity for all humanity. It is with that in mind that the Japan Prize will strive to contribute to the successful completion of that quest in whatever way we can.
The Earth is just one of a countless number of planets in our vast universe. While our small planet was born 4.5 billion years ago, our ancestors only emerged during the last few million years, a relatively recent event in cosmic terms. Humanity continued to prosper as a species, and eventually went on to develop civilization. While people’s lives have undoubtedly improved, progress has been extremely slow. However, the start of the industrial revolution roughly 200 years ago changed the situation completely. The pace of development accelerated significantly, particularly in the 20th century, and scientific and technological advancement have been the driving force behind this development that has made people’s lives even richer.
People now live much longer. In fact, most people throughout history lived very short lives. The average life span was only 31 years even in the early 20th century, but that has now increased to 72 years. We have achieved our eternal dream of longevity, suggesting that at least here civilization has been a success.
The Japan Prize was established to honor the achievements in science and technology that contribute to the peace and prosperity of humanity. Tracing back the history of awards presented to date, I get a sense of how much people’s lives have improved and how much science and technology have contributed to that. I remain convinced that the Japan Prize has a significant role to play, and I will continue to work towards fulfilling that role.
However, I cannot deny that I have some trepidation about the future of our world and the people who live upon it. Will we be able to protect our beautiful planet? Can we continue to work towards prosperity for humanity as a whole, without leaving some of us behind? These are the fundamental questions that we must be asking ourselves. I am confident that the Japan Prize will play a crucial role in promoting science and technology that will answer such questions.
The advancement of science has blessed us with an enormous body of accumulated knowledge. Knowledge is humanity’s most prized asset. Because of its sheer volume, it has become difficult to grasp the overall picture of just how much knowledge we now have. This has combined with the increasing complexity of our ever-more affluent society and with the changes made to our planet in order to attain that affluence, resulting in us becoming more anxious about our future. In other words, scientific development itself is the source of that anxiety, which means that scientists must confront this problem head on. In order to solve the various problems we face, we must work together to build bridges between fields, to transcend the boundaries between the fragmented bailiwicks of scientific knowledge. We cannot deny the possibility that science and technology can be misused, but I remain convinced that we possess the wisdom needed to prevent that from happening.
The Heisei Memorial Research Grant Program was established in 2019 as a means to support the future of our civilization and scientific and technological development. It was named thusly as an expression of our heartfelt gratitude to Their Majesties the Emperor Emeritus and Empress Emerita of Japan, who have shown unwavering support for the Japan Prize since the first ceremony was held in 1985. We hope the program will encourage motivated researchers to take on further challenges.
The Foundation will continue to contribute to achieving peace and prosperity for humanity through the Japan Prize, through our research grants, and through the promotion of science and technology education into the future.
