Isamu Akasaki, Distinguished Professor at Nagoya University, has been selected to receive the Imperial Prize and the Japan Academy Prize, while Designated Professor Takao Kondo and Distinguished Guest Professor Yoshio Okamoto have been chosen to receive the Japan Academy Prize. These prizes are awarded by the Japan Academy, an organization operated under the auspices of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to accord special recognition to scientists with outstanding academic achievements, in an effort to contribute to the advancement of academic pursuit by awarding prizes to particularly eminent academic papers, publications, and other research records.
Dr. Akasaki’s award-winning research is the creation of high-quality GaN semiconductor monocrystals and invention of p-n junction blue light-emitting device, which was the starting point for research and development of all Gallium Nitride (GaN) semiconducting materials and elements that are in practical use for light-emitting diode (LED) illumination, etc.
Dr. Kondo’s award-winning research is the reconstitution of cyanobacteria circadian clocks and time register research. He has succeeded in generating a 24-hour period rhythm using only proteins and adenosine triphosphate (ATP), proving that proteins memorize one earth day and can function as a clock.
Dr. Okamoto’s award-winning research is the research on helical high polymers in terms of precise synthesis, structure, and function. Based on his achievements in fundamental research on asymmetric polymerization, a discovery he made himself, he has succeeded in becoming one of the first in the world to accomplish the selective synthesis of a one-way wound helical high polymer.
Related website: The Japan Academy (in Japanese)