The 3rd Kobe Prize Award Ceremony Held to Honor Researchers in BME

The Nakata Foundation (located in Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; Chairman: Yutaka Yatomi) held the award ceremony for the 3rd Kobe Prize on Sunday, May 31, 2026.

The Kobe Prize is an academic award that shines a light on researchers who have achieved outstanding results through innovative and original research in the BME (Bio Medical Engineering) field—the interdisciplinary boundary between life sciences and engineering—which is attracting attention as a field where Japan will lead in the future. It also recognizes young researchers whose unique work shows great promise. The Nakata Foundation established the prize in 2024 with the aim of contributing to the development of science, technology, and industry in Japan. The prize is based on the philosophy of promoting innovation originating in Japan and 'energizing Japan.' This year marks the third award ceremony.

[Event Overview]

Part 1: The 3rd Kobe Prize Award Ceremony

Date: Sunday, May 31, 2026

Venue: Kobe Portopia Hotel (6-10-1 Minatojima Nakamachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0046)

Organizer: The Nakata Foundation

Speakers: Atsushi Miyawaki (Grand Prize winner), Kyogo Kawaguchi, Toshinori Fujie, Aya Takeoka (Y.I. Prize winners), Yutaka Yatomi (Chairman), Masashi Yanagisawa (Chair of the Selection Committee), Suzu Yamanouchi, Mariko Kinoshita (calligrapher), Miki Hirose (jazz musician), Koji Nakano (MC)

Participants: 314

Program: 3rd Kobe Prize Award Ceremony, lectures by winners, short interviews with winners by Suzu Yamanouchi

Part 2: Poster Session 'KOBE SCIENCE NEXT' & Kobe Prize Salon

Date: Sunday, May 31, 2026

Program: Overview explanation, poster session by junior high and high school students, talk session with winners, Suzu Yamanouchi, and Masashi Yanagisawa, interaction with winners

The 3rd Kobe Prize Award Ceremony was held in Part 1. Before an audience of 314, calligrapher Mariko Kinoshita performed a live brush writing, and jazz artist Miki Hirose performed. To the beautiful sound of the saxophone, the Kobe Prize's message 'Shine a light on originality' was powerfully written, creating a stage where tradition and innovation intersected, beautifully opening the ceremony.

Next, Chairman Yutaka Yatomi took the stage. He spoke about the spirit of the Kobe Prize: 'The Kobe Prize is an academic award that supports researchers who bring innovation to the interdisciplinary boundary between life sciences and engineering, based on the philosophy of energizing Japan. As society and the research environment undergo major changes, creating an environment where young researchers can engage in original and challenging research will become increasingly important. The Nakata Foundation will contribute to improving Japan's research capabilities and the development of the BME field by supporting active researchers and also focusing on nurturing the next generation of young people.'

Afterwards, with vibrant music and staging, the four winners appeared. Grand Prize winner Atsushi Miyawaki walked down a path of light from the audience to the stage. Suzu Yamanouchi appeared as an ambassador and handed trophies to the three Y.I. Prize winners. Miyawaki received his trophy from Yutaka Sugahara, last year's Grand Prize winner.

Furthermore, the Chair of the Selection Committee, Masashi Yanagisawa, announced the reasons for the awards, and Yamanouchi conducted short interviews. The winners spoke about their passion for their research and the challenges they faced. The trophy is designed to embody the concept of a researcher's originality as 'a light in the darkness.' It is a unique design featuring a plated statue with a built-in lighting function, allowing it to actually emit light, not just look glossy.

Winner Comments

Grand Prize

Name: Atsushi Miyawaki

Affiliation/Title: RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Team Leader, Cell Function Exploration Technology Research Team; RIKEN Center for Quantum Photonics, Team Leader, Bio-Photonics Technology Research Team

Research Title: Innovating Bioimaging through the Exploration of the Interaction between Light and Life

Comment: I would like to express my gratitude for receiving this honorable award today. I am also deeply moved to have received this award directly from Dr. Sugahara, who is engaged in science on a very grand scale.

I was strongly drawn to the perspective of natural science in high school. I remember being deeply impressed by an essay written by a Japanese scientist, thinking, 'So this is how you can see nature.' Then, as a university student, while holed up in the library reading papers, I encountered FRET. I was so moved that my body trembled as I read, and I decided to dedicate my life to this physical phenomenon.

I hope young people can find something they can be passionate about without calculating gains or losses. To do that, failure is necessary; in fact, it is important to embrace failure. Even if it starts small and detailed, nurturing it into something great is what Dr. Sugahara meant by 'heresy becomes the cutting edge.' I have been truly fortunate to have wonderful people around me throughout my research career. I would like to conclude by expressing my deep gratitude to my comrades who have contributed to technological innovation in bioimaging, my collaborators, my mentors, and my family who have supported me as a person. Thank you very much.

Young Investigator (Y.I.) Prize (3 winners)

Name: Kyogo Kawaguchi

Affiliation/Title: RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, Chief Scientist

Research Title: Pioneering Cross-Hierarchical Physics of Life Beginning with the Discovery of Topological Cell Dynamics

Comment: I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the selection committee members for selecting me for this wonderful award, and to all those involved at the Nakata Foundation for establishing an award that shines a light on young researchers and preparing such a splendid prize. I started my laboratory at the RIKEN campus on Port Island in Kobe from 2018 to 2024. I am truly honored to participate in this wonderful ceremony at this place where I visited many times with my family. I study life phenomena from the perspective of physics. In doing so, I discovered that structures called 'topological defects' actually play a central role in controlling cell movement and tissue formation. As I advance my fundamental research in physics, I hope to eventually contribute to fields such as medicine and engineering.

Name: Toshinori Fujie

Affiliation/Title: Tokyo Institute of Technology, School of Life Science and Technology, Professor

Research Title: Functionalization of Polymer Thin Films by Printed Electronics and Creation of Bio-Integrated Devices

Comment: I would like to express my sincere gratitude for receiving this wonderful award. I am deeply grateful to the selection committee members and all those involved at the Nakata Foundation. My research develops foundational technology for 'bio-integration.' By printing electronic circuits on 'polymer nanosheets' that are extremely thin, I have created soft devices that can be attached to the surface of skin or the brain. Applications include light-based cancer treatment, EEG measurement to reduce the burden on patients with neurological diseases like epilepsy, and measuring muscle activity in athletes. Furthermore, not only for humans...