Japanese, Swiss, U.S. scholars awarded Kyoto Prize

Three scholars were awarded Kyoto Prize at a ceremony on Tuesday in recognition of their great achievements in the fields of advanced technology, basic sciences and arts, respectively.

As Japan's highest private award for global achievement, the Kyoto Prize has been presented annually since 1985 by Inamori Foundation, to encourage those who have contributed significantly to three categories, advanced technology, basic sciences, and arts and philosophy.

The 2015 Kyoto Prize in Advanced Technology was awarded to Japanese chemist Toyoki Kunitake, for his "pioneering contribution to the materials science by discovering synthetic bilayer membranes and creating the field of chemistry based on molecular self-assembly," according to a citation by the Inamori Foundation.

The Kyoto Prize in Basic Sciences was given to Swiss astrophysicist Michel Mayor, for his "contributions in evolving a new vision of the Universe through the discovery of extrasolar planet."

John Neumeier, U.S. choreographer and artistic director of the Hamburg Ballet in Germany, won the Kyoto Prize in Arts and Philosophy, for combining the essence of dramatic ballet and abstract ballet and bringing "the 20th Century ballet to new levels."

Each laureate was presented with a diploma, a medal and prize money of 50 million yen (about 410,000 U.S. dollars) at the ceremony by Hiroo Imura, chairman of Inamori Foundation. Endit