JSPS Ikushi Prize
Overview
1. Objective
In 2009, JSPS received an endowment from His Majesty the Emperor Emeritus Akihito on the 20th year of his reign. Amidst a severe economic environment in Japanese society, His Majesty’s desire was to encourage and support young scientists who are working diligently to advance their studies and research.
In deference to his wishes, JSPS established the JSPS Ikushi Prize program and placed it into operation in FY 2010. It functions to formally recognize outstanding doctoral students who can be expected to contribute to Japan’s future scientific advancement.
In deference to his wishes, JSPS established the JSPS Ikushi Prize program and placed it into operation in FY 2010. It functions to formally recognize outstanding doctoral students who can be expected to contribute to Japan’s future scientific advancement.
2. Applicable Fields
All fields of the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences.
3. Eligibility
Candidates must be doctoral students with outstanding academic records, who possess abundant qualities of humanity and who pursue their studies and research in an independent and vigorous manner. They must be nominated by either the president of their university or the director of an academic society to which they belong. They must be enrolled in a university doctoral program on 1 May and be under 34 years of age on 1 April of the subject fiscal year.
Overseas students enrolled in university doctoral programs in Japan are also eligible.
For further details, please see the nomination guidelines for this prize.
https://www.jsps.go.jp/j-ikushi-prize/yoshiki.html（Japanese）
Overseas students enrolled in university doctoral programs in Japan are also eligible.
For further details, please see the nomination guidelines for this prize.
https://www.jsps.go.jp/j-ikushi-prize/yoshiki.html（Japanese）
4. Nominators
(1)Presidents of Japanese universities
(2)Directors of Japanese academic societies
Quota: Up to eight nominations
＊two from each of three research areas; humanities/social sciences, science/mathematics/engineering/informatics, and biological/agricultural and environmental sciences/medical sciences
＊two from all research areas including the above-mentioned three research areas
In the event that a female nominee is not included in a research area, only a single nominee shall be eligible in that area.
＊two from each of three research areas; humanities/social sciences, science/mathematics/engineering/informatics, and biological/agricultural and environmental sciences/medical sciences
＊two from all research areas including the above-mentioned three research areas
In the event that a female nominee is not included in a research area, only a single nominee shall be eligible in that area.
(2)Directors of Japanese academic societies
Quota: Up to two
In the event that a female nominee is not included in a research area, only a single nominee shall be eligible in that area.
Self- or personal-level recommendations are not acceptable.
In the event that a female nominee is not included in a research area, only a single nominee shall be eligible in that area.
Self- or personal-level recommendations are not acceptable.
5. Selection Method
Selections are made by the JSPS Ikushi Prize Selection Committee established within JSPS. In making its selections, the Committee takes into consideration the results of a preliminary review of the nominees conducted by JSPS’s Research Center for Science Systems.
6. Award Recipients
About 16 recipients are chosen for the JSPS Ikushi Prize each fiscal year. They receive a certificate, a medal, and a purse of 1.1 million yen.
7. State of FY2024 JSPS Ikushi Prize Nominations
| Nominations by university presidents | Nominations by academic society directors | Total (note) |
|---|---|---|
| 134(120) | 56(61) | 177(170) |
Note 1: The numbers in parentheses are last year's figures, provided for comparison.
Note 2: Numbers of nominations, excluding duplications.
Note 2: Numbers of nominations, excluding duplications.
| Name | Affiliation |
|---|---|
| SHIMIZU Takao (Chairman) | Senior Fellow, National Center for Global Health and Medicine Director general, Institute of Microbial Chemistry |
| OSUMI Noriko | Vice President, Tohoku University |
| KAWATA Teiichi | Director, Tokyo Center Office, Kansai University Former President, The Promotion and Mutual Aid Corporation for Private Schools of Japan |
| TANAKA Akihiko | President, Japan International Cooperation Agency |
| NISHIZAWA Naoko | President, Ishikawa Prefectural University |
| HANAWA Kimio | Professor Emeritus, Tohoku University Project Principal Researcher, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology |
| HIBIYA Junko | Professor Emerita, International Christian University |
| FUJIMAKI Akira | Vice President, Nagoya University |
| MORI Hatsumi | Professor, The Institute for Solid State Physics, The University of Tokyo |