Taiichiro Okawa United Graduate School of Agricultural Science Dean will receive the "Japan Agricultural Science Prize" and "Yomiuri Agricultural Science Prize"

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2026年2月10日

Taiichiro Okawa United Graduate School  of Agricultural Science Dean has been awarded the "Japan Agricultural Science Prize" and "Yomiuri Agricultural Science Prize".

■Name of the award
"Japan Agricultural Science Award" "Yomiuri Agricultural Science Award"

■Award Overview
・Awards
"Elucidation of strong stalk genes related to lodging resistance of paddy rice and their application to breed improvement"

・Award Overview
On Saturday, February 7, 2026, the General Assembly of the Japanese Society of Agriculture and the Selection Committee for the 2026 Japan Agricultural Prize were held at the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Tokyo, and the Japan Agricultural Science Prize (Japan Agricultural Science Prize) was United Graduate School of Agricultural Science awarded the Japan Agricultural Science Prize (Japan Prize of Agricultural Science ) and The Yomiuri Prize of Agricultural Science (The Yomiuri Prize of Agricultural Science). The selection committee is attended by representatives of all academic societies belonging to the Japan Society of Agriculture, and the winners of the Japan Agricultural Science Prize are determined by voting based on the achievements of the candidates and the presenters selected by the recommended society.
The Japan Agricultural Science Prize is awarded annually to researchers who have made significant contributions to the development of agriculture, and began in 1925 (Taisho 14) as the "Agricultural Science Prize" (Agricultural Science Medal), and in 1942 (Showa 17), it was renamed the "Japan Agricultural Science Prize", and continues to this day as the most prestigious academic award in the field of agriculture. In addition, the Yomiuri Agricultural Science Prize has been awarded by the Yomiuri Shimbun since 1964 (Showa 39). The award ceremony and the award presentation will be held at the University of Tokyo on Sunday, April 5.

In Japan, rice shortages have become a major social problem, and improving food self-sufficiency and food security have become issues. Climate change is increasing the size of typhoons, the frequency of guerrilla torrential rains, and the decrease in yield and quality due to lodging. In order to stabilize rice production in response to climate change, lodging-resistant varieties that are resistant to large typhoons are required. In the research related to "Elucidation of strong stalk genes related to lodging resistance of paddy rice and their application to breed improvement", we elucidated important traits related to strong stalk properties of paddy rice using a strong stalk approach that is different from short stalk by semi-dwarf genes, and identified their loci and strong stalk genes for the first time in the world. In addition, we have accumulated these and applied them to the improvement of resilient lodging-resistant varieties that are resistant to climate change, and are cultivating five varieties for various applications such as food, feed, and processing. These results have been cited in many international research papers and reviews, and have had a significant impact on the strategy of rice variety improvement in the Asian region, and have also achieved remarkable results in social implementation, such as demonstration at domestic production sites and demonstration research in agricultural reconstruction in disaster-stricken areas. Based on these achievements, the Japan Agricultural Prize and the Yomiuri Agricultural Prize were awarded.

Many people related to the university have also received awards in the past. In the past 25 years, Isoshi Kajii, who was President at the time in 1999 (Heisei 11), Emeritus Professor Yukichi Konohira in 2000 (Heisei 12), Yoshiyuki Sakano Emeritus Professor in 2006 (Heisei 18), Hiroshi Abe Emeritus Professor in 2010 (Heisei 22), Kazumi Yagasaki Emeritus Professor in 2015 (Heisei 27), Tetsu Satoshi Ando Emeritus Professor in 2016 (Heisei 28), Tadashi Hirasawa Emeritus Professor in 2017 (Heisei 29), Kenshi Sakai Emeritus Professor in 2021 (Reiwa 3), Tsutomu Arie Director in 2024 (Reiwa 6), and Professor Ryo Funada in 2025 (Reiwa 7).

　
The Japanese Society of Agriculture (Opens in a new window)