Kazuo Okanoya Awarded the 24th Yamashina Yoshimaro Prize for Unraveling the Evolution of Bengalese Finch Song

The 24th 'Yamashina Yoshimaro Prize' will be awarded to Dr. Kazuo Okanoya, specially appointed professor at Teikyo University and professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo.

This prestigious award, honoring individuals who have made outstanding contributions to Japanese ornithology and bird conservation, is hosted by the Yamashina Institute for Ornithology (President: Prince Akishino) and co-hosted by The Asahi Shimbun Company (President and CEO: Katsuki Tsunoda).

Bengalese finch (right) and its wild ancestor = provided by Ms. Maki Ikebuchi

Dr. Okanoya has elucidated the complex song sequences of the Bengalese finch, a traditional Japanese pet bird, revealing how multiple sounds are intricately combined to form songs. Additionally, through comparative studies with its wild ancestor, he has demonstrated the changes in brain and behavior associated with domestication.

The award ceremony will be held on Friday, July 24. The award will be presented by Prince Akishino, President of the Yamashina Institute for Ornithology. Recipients receive a certificate, a commemorative medal, and the 'Asahi Shimbun Award' (500,000 yen and a plaque) as a special prize.

A commemorative symposium will also be held as follows. Media inquiries should be directed to the Yamashina Institute for Ornithology (pressrelease@yamashina.or.jp, 04-7182-1101).

Commemorative Symposium: 'The Science of Vocal Communication Unveiled by Bird Song'

【Date & Time】Saturday, September 12, 2026, 13:30–16:00 【Venue】Yayoi Lecture Hall, The University of Tokyo (1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo) 【Host】Yamashina Institute for Ornithology 【Co-host】The Asahi Shimbun Company

24th Yamashina Yoshimaro Prize Recipient: Kazuo Okanoya (Kazuo Okanoya)

Photo of Dr. Kazuo Okanoya = provided by the Yamashina Institute for Ornithology

Born: July 16, 1959, in Tochigi Prefecture Specialization: Biopsychology

1983: Graduated from the Department of Social, Psychological, and Educational Studies, Faculty of Letters, Keio University 1989: Completed Ph.D. in Biopsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Maryland 1989: JSPS Research Fellow, Postdoctoral Researcher at Sophia University 1990: STA Special Researcher, Concurrent Researcher at the Bird Pest Research Laboratory, Agriculture Research Center, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries 1993: Special Researcher (Inoue Fellow), Visiting Researcher at the Psychology Laboratory, Keio University 1994: Associate Professor, Faculty of Letters, Chiba University 2004: Team Leader, Brain Science Institute, RIKEN 2010: Professor, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo 2022: Professor, Advanced Comprehensive Research Organization, Teikyo University 2025: Specially Appointed Professor, Advanced Comprehensive Research Organization, Teikyo University

【Reason for Award】Hiroshi Ogawa, Chair of the Yamashina Yoshimaro Prize Selection Committee

Dr. Kazuo Okanoya has elucidated the complex song sequences observed in the Bengalese finch, a traditional Japanese pet bird, revealing how multiple sounds are diversely combined to form songs.

Furthermore, through comparative studies between the Bengalese finch and its wild ancestor, the white-rumped munia, he has clarified the changes in brain and behavior accompanying domestication. He has provided neuroscientific insights into the brain structures controlling song in Bengalese finches and demonstrated that domestication affects social behavior. He also showed that the variations in song and behavior arising from domestication align with the 'domestication syndrome' proposed by Wilkinson et al., extending these findings into comparative studies on stress tolerance, neophobia, and aggressiveness between Bengalese finches and white-rumped munias. These achievements are highly regarded as representative research demonstrating the behavioral complexity resulting from domestication. They go beyond mere taxonomic confirmation, serving as foundational research that scientifically examines how domestication affects birds' song learning, brain function, and social behavior—holding significant implications for future developments in this field.

In recent years, Dr. Okanoya has focused on the neural mechanisms underlying vocal learning in birds, particularly mirror neuron-like neural activity responsible for linking auditory information with vocal motor output. He is advancing research to clarify how song perception and production are interconnected in the Bengalese finch brain. All of these achievements have been internationally recognized as providing crucial insights into vocal learning, vocal communication, and ultimately, the origin and evolution of language through the study of bird song. Moreover, Dr. Okanoya's research has inspired numerous laboratories worldwide, including those in Europe and North America, to adopt the Bengalese finch as a research subject. Furthermore, through his research, Dr. Okanoya has actively contributed to the education and mentorship of young researchers, many of whom have gone on to establish their own careers.

In summary, Dr. Okanoya has led global research in this field and made substantial contributions to the advancement of ornithology. The Yamashina Yoshimaro Prize Selection Committee has determined that these achievements are worthy of the prize and has decided to award the 24th Yamashina Yoshimaro Prize to Dr. Kazuo Okanoya.

Yamashina Yoshimaro Prize

Commemorative Medal = provided by the Yamashina Institute for Ornithology

Hosted by the Yamashina Institute for Ornithology and co-hosted by The Asahi Shimbun Company. The prize was established in 1992 by the Yamashina Institute for Ornithology to commemorate the achievements of its founder, Dr. Yoshimaro Yamashina (who received the Jean Delacour Prize, often regarded as the Nobel Prize of ornithology).

The prize honors individuals and organizations that have contributed to the advancement of Japanese ornithological research and bird conservation activities every two years. Recipients are awarded a certificate, a commemorative medal, and the 'Asahi Shimbun Award' (500,000 yen and a plaque).

[Official Website] https://www.yamashina.or.jp/hp/gaiyo/yamashinsyo.html