S/ Soai Kenso, Professor Emeritus, Tokyo University of Science / I am very pleased that this award helps highlight and bring recognition to the significance and status of research into the origins of chirality. The mystery has not yet been fully solved, so I believe there are still interesting discoveries ahead. I would like to continue doing what little I can to help advance the research going forward.

Soai Kenso, professor emeritus at Tokyo University of Science, won this year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his contributions to research exploring the mystery of chemical asymmetry.

His study focuses on why living organisms predominantly contain only one of two mirror-image isomers found in substances such as amino acids.

At his news conference, Soai repeatedly mentioned fellow laureate Henri Kagan and expressed his delight in winning the ward together with a researcher he respects.

He occasionally responded to questions with humor.

S/ Soai Kenso, Professor Emeritus, Tokyo University of Science / It may sound pretentious to say it myself, but I felt that no one would complain if I received this prize.

Before the news conference, the professor spoke with reporters outside his home.

S/ Soai Kenso, Professor Emeritus, Tokyo University of Science / I am very happy that this will help a wider audience recognize the value of research in this field.

At the press conference, he said he received a phone call from Sweden informing him of the award while shopping at a local supermarket.

This is the second year in a row for a Japanese researcher to win the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, following Kitagawa Susumu of Kyoto University.

This year’s award ceremony will be held in Stockholm, Sweden on December 10.

Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae congratulated Soai on the phone.

S/ Takaichi Sanae, Prime Minister / Professor Soai, this is Takaichi Sanae.

S/ Soai Kenso, Professor Emeritus, Tokyo University of Science / Prime Minister Takaichi, thank you very much for calling.

S/ Takaichi Sanae, Prime Minister / Congratulations on being selected for the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Takaichi told Soai that she was very proud of him as a fellow Japanese.

She also said the Japanese government will expand research grants and operational funding for national universities to strengthen the foundation for research in science and technology.

Soai remarked that the prime minister works tirelessly every day for Japan and the world and encouraged her to take good care of her health.