Advanced Technology Category
2007 Prize Field: Materials Science and Engineering

Dr. Hiroo Inokuchi (Japan, born 1927)
Chemist
Professor Emeritus, The University of Tokyo and Institute for Molecular Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences

Dr. Hiroo Inokuchi initiated pioneering research on electrical conduction between molecules with benzene rings, and established the scientific foundation for studying the electrical conductivity of organic materials. Further, he systematically elucidated the electronic structure of a wide variety of organic materials by photoelectron spectroscopy. Through a series of such research efforts, he established the academic basis for studying organic molecular electronics and made fundamental contributions to the subsequent development of the field.

Basic Sciences Category
2007 Prize Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences, Astronomy and Astrophysics

Dr. Hiroo Kanamori (Japan, born 1936)
Geophysicist
Professor Emeritus, California Institute of Technology

Dr. Hiroo Kanamori's epoch-making progress in studying great earthquakes includes establishing analytical methods that make full use of seismograms for a better quantitative understanding of the rupture process. His work has opened a new era in seismology and made a significant impact on the development of geophysics. He has offered practical proposals on how to mitigate earthquake hazards and has contributed to the creation and operation of today's earthquake hazard mitigation systems.

Arts and Philosophy Category
2007 Prize Field: Theater, Cinema

Pina Bausch (Germany, born 1940)
Choreographer and Artistic Director

Applying an original choreographical approach that delves into the fundamental motives of human action, Ms. Pina Bausch has established a creative idiom that taps deeply into the sensitivity of both performers and their audiences. At the same time, she has broken down the boundaries between dance and theater, and opened up a new direction in theatrical art.