The Kyoto Prize, established by Kazuo Inamori with his own personal funds, is attracting global attention as an award that identifies 'future Nobel Prize candidates.'
I read the 'Way of Life' by Kazuo Inamori, the founder of Kyocera.
This is something I would definitely like medical students aiming to become doctors to read.
It is a book filled with the 'altruistic heart' that is most necessary for a doctor.
By reading this book repeatedly, one's character is polished.
Medicine consists of three things: medical science, medical art, and medical ethics. In other words, science, art (technique), and philosophy.
While medical science and medical art can be learned in the field, philosophy is best learned from books.
Kyocera's management philosophy is 'to pursue the material and intellectual happiness of all employees, and at the same time, to contribute to the progress and development of human society'.
The purpose of corporate management is, first and foremost, to realize the livelihood and happiness of the people who work there.
However, if it were only that, it would remain an egoism that only seeks the profit of a single private enterprise.
As a public institution of society, a company also has a responsibility to serve the world and its people.
The latter part of Kyocera's management philosophy expresses the expansion of the management philosophy from management for self-interest to management for altruism.
A few years after the founding, when the company's foundation had solidified, President Inamori proposed that after handing out the year-end bonuses to each employee, they might consider donating a portion of it for the sake of society.
He proposed that all employees contribute a little bit of money, and the company would provide the same amount, to donate to poor people who could not even afford to buy mochi for the New Year.
The employees agreed and willingly donated a portion of their bonuses.
This became the precursor to the various social contribution projects that Kyocera carries out today.
Mr. Inamori established the 'Kyoto Prize' in 1985.
When I was working at the Ministry of Health and Welfare (now the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare), I first learned about the Kyoto Prize when I asked the then-Councilor for Science and Technology about his impressions after attending the Kyoto Prize award ceremony.
The Councilor said, 'It was a wonderful award ceremony.'
At that time, I was cynical, thinking that Kyocera was just distributing money they had set aside, and I did not take the Councilor's words seriously.
The Kyoto Prize was written about in Mr. Inamori's book, 'Way of Life'.
It was not company money.
Mr. Inamori established the Inamori Foundation by contributing 20 billion yen from his personal assets, including Kyocera stock and cash he held. He started it with the purpose of selecting and honoring people who have achieved outstanding results and made significant contributions in the fields of advanced technology, basic sciences, and arts and philosophy, in order to celebrate their achievements.
It was stated that 'it is now highly regarded as an international award comparable to the Nobel Prize.'
Mr. Inamori states it as follows.
Since the assets that unexpectedly increased as a result of Kyocera's development were brought about by the support and efforts of many people in society, they must not be privatized.
I established it with the belief that it is only right to return assets received from or entrusted by society in a way that is useful to society.
This Kyoto Prize is both a way of giving back to society and a practice of my philosophy of altruism.
I am humbled. As an immature and inexperienced person, I did not understand Mr. Inamori's heart of altruism at all. I reflect on this. I apologize, Counselor.
The following is a summary of the Kyoto Prize based on an explanation by Gemini.
The Kyoto Prize is an international award originating from Japan that is presented to individuals who have made significant contributions to the development of science and technology, and arts and philosophy.
It was established by the Inamori Foundation, which was founded by Kyocera founder Kazuo Inamori, who invested his own personal funds based on the belief that 'doing things for the sake of people and the world is the highest act for a human being.'
It is so prestigious that it is also called the 'Japanese Nobel Prize,' and a major feature is that it covers fields such as mathematics and the arts, which are not covered by the Nobel Prize.
1. Categories and Fields
Every year, one person (or one group) is selected from each of the following three categories.
Each category has four detailed fields, and the selection targets change in rotation every year.
Advanced Technology Category
Electronics, Biotechnology and Medical Technology, Materials Science, and Information Science|
Basic Sciences Category
Biological Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Earth and Planetary Sciences, and Life Sciences|
Arts and Philosophy Category
Music, Arts, Theater and Cinema, and Thought and Ethics
2. Prize Details
Prize money: 100 million yen per category
Award items: Kyoto Prize medal, diploma (certificate)
Award ceremony: Held every November at the Kyoto International Conference Center (Kyoto City).
3. Recent (2025, 40th) Laureates
For the 2025 fiscal year, the following three individuals were selected.
Advanced Technology Category: Dr. Shun-ichi Amari (Mathematical Scientist)
For his achievements in establishing the theoretical foundations of artificial intelligence (AI) and 'Information Geometry.'
Basic Sciences Category: Dr. Azim Surani (Developmental Biologist)
For his discovery of 'genomic imprinting' in mammals and his contribution to the development of life sciences.
Arts and Philosophy Category: Dr. Carol Gilligan (Psychologist)
For her achievements in proposing a new perspective called the 'Ethics of Care' and reconstructing traditional psychology and ethics.
Because of its high selection standards, the Kyoto Prize is also attracting global attention as an award that identifies 'future Nobel Prize candidates.'
In fact, there are many cases where people receive the Nobel Prize after receiving the Kyoto Prize, and there have been more than 10 dual laureates so far .
Representative dual laureates are as follows.
1. Key individuals who won the Nobel Prize after receiving the Kyoto Prize
As proof of the Kyoto Prize's 'foresight,' many scholars have gone on to win the Nobel Prize several to over a dozen years later.
Shinya Yamanaka
Kyoto Prize (2010): Generation of iPS cells; Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (2012)
Yoshinori Ohsumi
Kyoto Prize (2012): Elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of autophagy; Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (2016)
Tasuku Honjo
Kyoto Prize (2016): Discovery of the PD-1 molecule and its application to cancer immunotherapy; Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (2018)
Isamu Akasaki
Kyoto Prize (2009): Invention of the blue light-emitting diode (LED); Nobel Prize in Physics (2014)
Michel Mayor
Kyoto Prize (2015): Discovery of an exoplanet; Nobel Prize in Physics (2019)
2. Key international scholars who have won both awards
Paul Lauterbur
Kyoto Prize (1994) Advanced Technology; Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (2003)
Sydney Brenner
Kyoto Prize (1990) Basic Sciences; Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (2002)
Mario Capecchi
Kyoto Prize (1996) Basic Sciences; Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (2007)
Zhores Alferov
Kyoto Prize (2001) Advanced Technology; Nobel Prize in Physics (2000)
3. Why is it said to be 'close to the Nobel Prize'?
Breadth of fields: The Kyoto Prize covers areas not included in the Nobel Prize, such as 'mathematics,' 'information science,' and 'materials science.' As a result, it covers the cutting edge of the entire scientific world.
Rigorous selection: Based on nominations from around the world, a thorough review process spanning several years is conducted, ensuring that individuals of extremely high academic value are selected.
Hmm. I felt that the Kyoto Prize should be celebrated more in our country.
Scientists around the world know that if you win the Kyoto Prize, you are close to winning a Nobel Prize next, but I feel that its recognition within Japan is somewhat lacking. My apologies. Perhaps it was just that I didn't know about it.
I don't think Mr. Inamori cares about such mundane things, but now that I know it is an award Japan can be proud of, I would like to support it through Habereo Tsushin from now on.
The Kyoto Prize, which is an expression of Mr. Inamori's altruistic heart, is amazing!
By the way, when I was at the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, I had the opportunity to dine with Professor Yamanaka and Professor Honjo. I don't mean to boast, but it was an honor to be with them.