Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attended the award ceremony of the Japan Prize on April 16.

The prize is awarded to researchers who have made global contributions in the fields of science and technology. The winners this year were Dr. Russell Dean Dupuis of the United States, who made pioneering work enabling the commercialization of compound semiconductors that are used in computers and smartphones, and Dr. Carlos Duarte of Spain, a leading researcher on “Blue Carbon” or carbon absorbed by marine ecosystems such as sea grass.

Emperor Naruhito / I hope that by bringing together the wisdom of our various fields and working together, we can build a future filled with hope.

At a concert after the ceremony, the imperial couple smiled and applauded after each song that was requested by the award winners.