THE 2009 KYOTO PRIZE PRESENTATION CEREMONY

Today we are deeply honored to extend a special welcome to
Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado,
Honorary President of the Inamori Foundation.
The Inamori Foundation is also greatly pleased and honored
by the presence at this 2009 Kyoto Prize Presentation Ceremony
of the Ambassadors and Consuls General from many countries,
and of our many distinguished guests.
This year, once again, I am most gratified to have
witnessed this splendid the 2009 Kyoto Prize Presentation Ceremony.
On behalf of the Kyoto Prize Executive Committee,
I'd like to give a citation for the selection of the 2009 Kyoto Prize laureates,
and then offer some brief comments.
I'd like to give a citation for the reason on the selection of the 2009 Kyoto Prize
laureate in Advanced Technology, of which prize field
of the year is Electronics,
and Dr. Akasaki has been awarded for his great contribution of
Pioneering Work on Gallium Nitride p-n Junctions and Related Contributions
to the Development of Blue Light Emitting Devices.
I'd like to give a citation for the reason on the selection of the 2009 Kyoto Prize
laureate in Basic Sciences, of which prize field
of the year is Biological Sciences,
and Dr. Peter Grant and Dr. Rosemary Grant
have been awarded for their great contribution of
Demonstrating Rapid Evolution Caused by Natural Selection
in Response to Environmental Changes.
I'd like to give a citation for the reason on the selection of the 2009 Kyoto Prize
laureate in Arts and Philosophy, of which prize field of the year is Music,
and Mr. Pierre Boulez has been awarded for his great achievement as
A Musician Who Has Consistently Set Trends through His Composition,
Conducting, Writing, and Organizational Operation.
I'm greatly honored and humble
to receive the prestigious Kyoto Prize
on the occasion of its quarter century anniversary.
I sincerely respect and appreciate
Dr. Inamori’s philosophy of the Kyoto Prize,
and would like to express my deepest gratitude to the nominators
and to the members of the Kyoto Prize Selection Organization
who has chosen me as a laureate.
I gratefully acknowledge that the Prize recognized me
as a representative of my research colleagues
and many other researchers
and engineers working in such fields as nitride semiconductors,
applied physics and crystal growth science.