On January 21, the Japan Prize Foundation announced that Professor Shizuo Akira, Distinguished Professor at Osaka University (Center for Advanced Modalities and Drug Delivery System Research / IFReC, Laboratory of Innate Immunology) and two other scientists have been selected as a laureates of the 2026 Japan Prize. The award ceremony will be held on April 14 in Tokyo.

The Japan Prize was established in 1983 based on a vision of the Japanese government to create an internationally prestigious award that would contribute to the advancement of science and technology worldwide. The prize is presented to individuals who have achieved original and groundbreaking accomplishments and who are recognized as having made significant contributions to the peace and prosperity of humankind. Each year, two fields are designated for the award based on an analysis of current trends in science and technology.

Shizuo Akira's Achievement for the Award: Discovery of the nucleic acid sensing mechanism by the innate immune system