November 13, 2013
TOKYO, Japan (November 14, 2013) - The Japan Prize Foundation announced today that it has begun the nomination process for the 2015 (31st) Japan Prize that will honor outstanding achievements in the fields of “Resources, Energy and Social Infrastructure” and “Medical Science and Medicinal Science.” Qualified nominators, more than 13,000 people in the world including prominent scientists and researchers selected by the Foundation, are now being asked to turn in the names of the candidates who they think deserve the prestigious international prize in science and technology.
The nomination process runs through February 2014, and the winners will be announced in January 2015 after a 10-month-long review of the nominees’ achievements. First, based on the nominations, two Selection Subcommittees comprised of experts in the eligible fields for the 2015 Japan Prize will evaluate the achievements. Their conclusions will be forwarded to the Selection Committee, which will assess the candidates’ achievements further from a wider perspective, including contributions to the progress of science and technology. The Foundation’s Board of Directors then makes the final decision on the winners.
Presently, the Foundations is in the final stage of selecting the 2014 Japan Prize winners in the fields of “Electronics, Information and Communication” and “Life Science.” The winners will be announced in January 2014.
The Japan Prize will honor scientists and researchers, irrespective of nationality, whose original and outstanding achievements in science and technology are recognized as having advanced the frontiers of knowledge and served the cause of peace and prosperity for mankind. In principle, the Foundation selects one winner from each field. Each Japan prize laureate will receive a certificate of merit and a commemorative gold medal. A monetary award of 50 million Japanese yen will be presented for each prize field.
The Japan Prize is awarded every year in two specific fields selected from the two areas of study: “Physics, Chemistry and Engineering” and “Life Science, Agriculture and Medicine.” The designated fields eligible for the 2015-2017 Japan Prize are as follows:
| Area of Physics, Chemistry and Engineering | Area of Life Science, Agriculture and Medicine | |
|---|---|---|
| Eligible Fields | Year | Eligible Fields |
| Resources, Energy, Social Infrastructure | 2015 | Medical Science, Medicinal Science |
| Materials, Production | 2016 | Biological Production, Biological Environment |
| Electronics, Information, Communication | 2017 | Life Science |
As global population continues to grow, the biggest challenge of this century is guiding human society towards balanced development while overcoming environmental and resource constraints, and reducing inequalities.
In order to achieve this, innovative base technology is required in such areas as resource and energy utilization, water resources management, material circulation, urban development, and traffic and transportation.
Particularly important are issues such as the creation of new technology for resource development and utilization, promotion of household and industrial energy conservation, and development of alternative energy technology, as well as renovation of social infrastructure technology such as disaster mitigation and safety measures.
The 2015 Japan Prize in the field of “Resource, Energy and Social Infrastructure” is awarded to an individual(s) who has made significant contributions to society by improving the sustainability of human society and the global environment through scientific and technological breakthroughs, such as the creation, innovation and dissemination of resource utilization technology, energy technology and infrastructure formation technology.
Advancement of modern science has brought about tremendous progress in the field of medical and medicinal science. Elucidations of various diseases and their pathological mechanisms have led to continuous development in the establishment of new prophylaxes, diagnostic methods and treatments.
Amid such circumstances, developed countries are experiencing a rise in diseases brought about by increased longevity and lifestyle changes. In contrast, many regions around the world still have little or no access to adequate medical care. Furthermore, emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases are becoming a major issue worldwide with the onset of globalization.
Therefore, it is anticipated that medical and medicinal science will further contribute towards the well-being of people in today's changing times. Those contributions include the creation and dissemination of new medical care in fusion with other discipline such as engineering and information science, development and production of new drugs, and development of drug delivery systems.
