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April 18, 2018

2018 Japan Prize Laureates Honored at Awards Ceremony
Prizes were presented in the presence of Their Majesties Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko

TOKYO (April 18, 2018) – The Japan Prize presentation ceremony was held today at the National Theatre of Japan in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, in the presence of Their Majesties the Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan.

The Japan Prize, now in its 34th year, was awarded to three individuals whose original and outstanding achievements in science and technology are serving to promote peace and prosperity for mankind. The two fields of eligible research for the Japan Prize this year were Medical Science and Medicinal Science and Resources, Energy, Environment and Social Infrastructure.

The 2018 Japan Prize laureates in the field of Medical Science and Medicinal Science are: Dr. Max D. Cooper, Professor in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia, and Dr. Jacques Miller, Emeritus Professor at The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne, Australia. Together, they are being honored for deciphering the two types of lymphocyte lineages involved in adaptive immunity, laying the conceptual groundwork for our understanding of immunology and fueling rapid advances in medical science.

In addition, the Japan Prize in the field of Resources, Energy, Environment and Social Infrastructure is being awarded to: Dr. Akira Yoshino, President of the Lithium Ion Battery Technology and Evaluation Center (LIBTEC), Advisor and Fellow at the Asahi Kasei Corp., and Professor in the Graduate School of Science and Technology at Meijo University in Nagoya, Japan. Dr. Yoshino’s innovative work on the technology behind lithium ion batteries has made the modern mobile phone, electric vehicles, and the digital revolution possible, changing the world as we know it.

Each laureate received a certificate of recognition and a commemorative gold medal at the Presentation Ceremony at the National Theater. In addition, a cash award of 50 million Japanese yen (approximately US $420,000) will also be given to each field.

The Japan Prize is highly competitive: the nomination process ends in February, and, every year from March to November, the Foundation considers the nominations of approximately 13,000 prominent scientists and researchers from around the world, from which candidates are chosen through a rigorous year-long selection process.

The presentation ceremony was attended by Their Majesties Emperor and Empress of Japan, together with approximately 1,000 people, including guests-of-honor representing various fields, renowned academics and prominent business leaders. The ceremony was followed by a commemorative concert, in which music requested by the laureates was performed by the Tokyo Geidai Symphony Orchestra.

About the Japan Prize Foundation

The Japan Prize is awarded to scientists and researchers, regardless of nationality, who have made significant contributions to the progress of science and technology, as well as society, to further the peace and prosperity of mankind. While the prize encompasses all fields of science, two fields are designated for the Japan Prize each year. Since its inception in 1985, the Japan Prize Foundation has awarded the Japan Prize to 91 laureates from 14 countries. For additional details about the Japan Prize Foundation and its activities, please visit https://www.japanprize.jp/en. You can also follow The Japan Prize on Facebook and Twitter at @JapanPrize_Intl.

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