Tokyo, Nov. 3 (Jiji Press)–An award ceremony was held at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Tuesday for recipients of Japan’s Order of Culture for fiscal 2026. The government announced the names of the eight awardees last month. Seven of them participated in the ceremony and received the Order of Culture medals from Emperor Naruhito. The Emperor told the recipients, “I am very pleased that you have made great achievements and contributed to the promotion of culture through many years of hard work.” The ceremony attendees were Tokyo University of Science distinguished professor Kenso Soai, 76, who has been named winner of this year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry, lighting designer Motoko Ishii, 88, architect Toyoo Ito, 85, biological science expert Tsuneyoshi Kuroiwa, 84, French literature scholar Tetsuya Shiokawa, 81, composer and former Cultural Affairs Agency Commissioner Shunichi Tokura, 78, and immunologist Shigekazu Nagata, 77. Shigeru Miyamoto, 73, executive fellow and representative director at game maker Nintendo Co., who created popular games, such as the Super Mario series, was absent from the ceremony, held on Culture Day in Japan. After the ceremony, the seven attendees held a press conference. Soai said that he “keenly felt the long and profound history of our country” when he received the medal from Emperor Naruhito. Soai, who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his discovery of nonlinear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis, is set to attend an award ceremony for the prestigious prize in Stockholm in December. “I want to join the ceremony while feeling the honor,” he said. Tokura said, “I think I received the Order of Culture on behalf of my respected predecessors.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
