The award ceremony for "The Commendation for Science and Technology" to honor those who have made noteworthy contributions either to the research and development of science and technology, or to advancing the understanding of science, was held at the Keio Plaza Hotel Tokyo on April 13, 2010. Thirteen researchers from RIKEN received the award.

After the award ceremony, the winners visited the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).

Prizes for Science and Technology

Research Category

Awarded for: Highly original research or development which has great potential to develop the science and technology of Japan (43 awards this fiscal year).

• Dr. Kazuki Saito
  Deputy Director, RIKEN Plant Science Center
  (Main job: Professor, Graduate School of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University)
• Dr. Mikiko Sodeoka
  Chief Scientist, Synthetic Organic Chemistry Laboratory,
  RIKEN Advanced Science Institute
• Dr. Hidenori Takagi
  Group Director, Complex Electron Systems Research Group,
  RIKEN Advanced Science Institute
• Dr. Masashi Miyano
  Chief Scientist, Structural Biophysics Laboratory,
  RIKEN SPring-8 Center
  (Co-awarded with Dr. Tetsuji Okada, Professor, Faculty of Science, Gakushuin University)
• Dr. Minoru Yoshida
  Chief Scientist, Chemical Genetics Laboratory,
  RIKEN Advanced Science Institute
• Dr. Teruhiko Wakayama
  Team Leader, Laboratory for Genomic Reprogramming,
  RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology
• Dr. Yasuyoshi Watanabe
  Director, RIKEN Center for Molecular Imaging Science

Public Understanding Promotion Category

Awarded to: Persons who have advance the understanding of science and technology among young people and the general public, or have worked to spread knowledge about science and technology in a particular region (17 awards this fiscal year).

• Dr. Toshikazu Ebisuzaki
  Chief Scientist, Computational Astrophysics Laboratory,
  RIKEN Advanced Science Institute

The Young Scientists' Prize

Awarded to: Young researchers under forty who have done groundbreaking or original research, or who have outstanding research ability. (85 awards this fiscal year).

• Dr. Kazutoshi Katahira
  Senior Research Scientist, Materials Fabrication Laboratory,
  RIKEN Advanced Science Institute
• Dr. Eiji Takahashi
  Senior Research Scientist, Intense Attosecond Pulse Research Team,
  RIKEN Advanced Science Institute
• Dr. Naoya Tajima
  Senior Research Scientist, Condensed Molecular Materials Laboratory,
  RIKEN Advanced Science Institute
• Dr. Jun-ichi Nakayama
  Team Leader, Laboratory for Chromatin Dynamics,
  RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology
• Dr. Makina Yabashi
  Team Leader, Beamline Construction Team, XFEL Project Head Office