President
Japan Science and Technology Agency

Background and Rationale:

Rapid developments in science and technology have made 21st century society increasingly dependent on the development of new materials and innovative manufacturing technologies. Advanced materials are driving technological innovation in energy, medicine, information and communication, environmental protection, nanotechnology, and a wide range of other fields. Examples of materials under active research include energy-related materials such as high-performance batteries; biomaterials that could help people live longer and healthier lives; optical and semiconductor materials that enable ultrafast information processing and transmission; new functional materials that harness quantum phenomena; and structural materials used to build the infrastructure that forms the backbone of society. The world is also seeing major technological innovations in manufacturing and production, from automated technologies using 3D printers and AI, to energy-saving/zero-emission manufacturing technologies and recycling technologies aimed at building a sustainable society. Materials informatics (MI) is another field that has seen remarkable progress in recent years, and MI research is expected to revolutionize conventional material design and manufacturing technologies. Such advances are extremely important as they will enrich our lives and help build a sustainable society.

Eligible Achievements:

The 2025 Japan Prize in the fields of Materials Science and Production will be awarded for the discovery or development of materials that lead to breakthrough advances in science and technology, or for dramatic advancements in manufacturing technology that result in new products, services, or industries.

Background and Rationale:

Throughout history, by raising crops and livestock and accumulating experience and know-how, humans have improved biological production techniques and made production methods ever more efficient. In more recent times, scientific and technical advances have vastly increased the productivity of those methods and contributed to rapid population growth. On the other hand, biological production’s growth has brought with it increasingly serious deterioration of our planet’s environment and loss of biodiversity.

To take full advantage of ecosystem services and ensure stable and sustainable biological production, innovations in science and technology that emphasize protection of the environment and ecosystems are indispensable. Notable areas of innovation include, for example, development of cultivation systems and plant varieties adapted to different regional climates and operating scales; optimization of farming processes and environmental monitoring through the use of sensing and information and communications technology (ICT); improvement in efficiency and precision of biological production through the utilization of robotics; improvement of food processing techniques and food functionality; reduction of food loss and waste; and diminution of greenhouse gas emissions in all aspects of production, processing, distribution, and consumption. Anticipated are the development of novel “bioproducts” derived from renewable biological material and the development of new production processes that make use of living organisms’ biological functions. Methods must also be found to ensure a more equitable distribution of products among regions and social classes, and to assess fairly the multifaceted values of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries industries with roots in local communities.

Eligible Achievements:

The 2025 Japan Prize in Biological Production and Ecology/Environment will reward achievements that have created, extended, or propagated major steps forward in scientific technology and, by advancing basic science related to ecology and environmental science and biological-production-related science and technology, have made or have the potential to make major contributions to sustainable development of human society in harmony with our ecosystem.

Background and Rationale:

Science and technology have helped to free humanity, with all its vulnerabilities, from the bonds of the natural world, and to lessen the unreasonable hardships of labor. Advancements have reduced the number of casualties due to natural disaster and disease, and have given us greater freedom to choose where and how we live our lives, all while expanding the scope of our knowledge. However, many vulnerable people are yet to benefit from such scientific and technological advances - many have yet to be freed from the chains of poverty and scarcity. In addition, there are concerns about the adverse effects of climate change and an increased loss of biodiversity resulting from the growing, increasingly active human population.

The development of a carbon-neutral society with a circular economy is expected to help resolve such global issues, and simultaneously result in a world where people can live in safety and comfort. To achieve this, it is essential that we develop innovative elemental technologies and improve efficiency and reliability of relevant technologies in the fields of energy, mineral resources, water resources, material recycling, and more, and re-design the residential and transportation systems in place in our urban and rural areas.

We must also work to promote the transition into a sustainable and peaceful society in which all people can have a sense of self-respect and dignity. To do so, we must revolutionize our understanding, our theories, and our research and development into the Anthropocene, complex systems, networks, human behavioral selection, and trust-building. We must propose ideas and frameworks that can change society’s path. It is also important to develop, design, and implement new social systems that will harness these ideas.

Eligible Achievements:

The 2024 Japan Prize will be awarded to breakthroughs in the creation, innovation or dissemination of science and technology in the fields of Resources, Energy, the Environment, and Social Infrastructure, thereby contributing significantly to solving social issues and improving sustainability in our society.

Background and Rationale:

Advances in science and technology leading to major new trends in medicine and pharmacology have elucidated the mechanisms of many diseases and produced revolutionary pharmaceutical solutions and medical technologies - notably in genomic medicine, cancer immunotherapy, gene therapy, and cell therapies, as well as new types of vaccines and drug-delivery systems. These achievements have greatly contributed to improvements in both quality of life and life expectancy by offering more satisfying therapeutic options for patients with cancer, infectious and lifestyle-related diseases, and many other pathological conditions.

Recently, medical researchers have entered into rewarding collaborations with workers in informatics, materials science, and other branches of science, contributing greatly to progress in brain-computer interface design and regenerative medicine, among other areas. They have brought us into a new era in which, though fraught with ethical challenges, treatments for high-level mental dysfunctions and modulation of age-related physical changes, for example, will no longer be mere wishful thinking. On the other hand, ever more conspicuous challenges are posed by dementia and geriatric diseases in aging societies, and by emerging infectious diseases and the spread of pandemics accompanying the globalization of commerce and population movements.

Thus, in this age of challenges it is hoped that Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, not only by continuing to make discoveries in the basic sciences but also by applying those discoveries and joining forces with other fields of endeavor, will continue to enhance human health and well-being.

Eligible Achievements:

The 2024 Japan Prize in Medical Science and Pharmaceutical Science will reward the development of innovative technologies and novel discoveries that promise seminal scientific and technical advances pertaining to the mechanisms of disease; to disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis; and to medical follow-up and monitoring - technologies and discoveries that confer substantial benefits to society by enhancing human health and well-being.