Sunday May 27, 2012

2 Japanese, American researchers share chemistry Nobel Prize

National ( 27 )

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27 Comments

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  • 0

    some14some

    Extra income for these three researchers, good. Now, waiting for bigger surprise than last year's peace prize.

  • 0

    smithinjapan

    Good on them. A well deserved congrats.

  • 0

    plasticmonkey

    Congratulations to the Japanese people. They deserve to give themselves a hearty media slap on the back, over and over and over.

  • -1

    WMD

    congratulations to Richard Heck. NHK didn't even acknowledge his existence!! no surprise there!!

  • 0

    shinjukuboy

    So what was all that talk of Japan sinking into irrelevance? Japanese have won quite a string of Nobel Prizes the past few years. What is strange about that is Japanese don't do very much of the type of basic research that gets Nobel Prizes. Japanese research is directed towards ultimate commercial application.

  • 0

    nemur

    shinjukuboy,

    it seems you have never stepped in a university here..

  • 0

    Klein2

    "What is strange about that is Japanese don't do very much of the type of basic research that gets Nobel Prizes. Japanese research is directed towards ultimate commercial application."

    That's what they say. I don't believe it. I suspect it has not been true for some time now.

  • 0

    pointofview

    There are many people doing amazing things in this world. Unfortunately, there are only a few that get recognized.

  • 0

    semperfi

    shinjukuboy

    So what was all that talk of Japan sinking into irrelevance? Japanese have won quite a string of Nobel Prizes the past few years

    True. They remain cutting edge in numerous disciplines. It is the Japanese character not to flaunt itself.

  • 0

    lunchmeat

    After U.S. VP AlGore received a Nobel Prize, well, it's become rather meaningless, no? Oh, and recently there was that other American guy, too...

    It's like not keeping score and trophies for all... and I know you know what I'm talking about.

  • 0

    some14some

    @semperfi - since peace prize is yet to be announced, i would like to nominate you (no pun intended) - meantime, i will be leaving Japan during new year time and will be missing special tv broadcastes about these two gentlemen.

  • 0

    browny1

    Congratulations to all 3 winners. Their work has had significant impact in the manufacturing world of pharmaceuticals, plastics, electronics....

    One point to keep in mind though, as is often the case, their ground breaking work was achieved decades ago and because there is a literal "waiting queue" of scientists in the Nobel Awards, only now has their efforts been recognized.

    And it appears unfortunately that the major commercialization of these technologies has occured outside of Japan.

  • 0

    limboinjapan

    Congratulations to all of them, but I'm really only waiting to see the peace prize and to see if the Nobel committee bowed to pressure and threats by China of retaliations against Norway if the prize goes to Liu Xiaobo.

  • 0

    gogogo

    Pat on the back there :)

  • 0

    BurakuminDes

    Heck, 79, is a professor emeritus at the University of Delaware. Negishi, 75, is a chemistry professor at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, and 80-year-old Suzuki is a professor at Hokkaido University in Sapporo, Japan.

    I guess it's a "retirement prize"/final payday for 3 old scientists, a pat on the back for their years of work, as they put down the beakers and test tubes and ride off into the sunset. Good luck to the old fellas!

  • 0

    goddog

    How come these guys get to work past 60, and then rehired at 65 at reduced salaries? I really do not understand forced retirement.

  • 0

    kstar

    What happened to the people who said Asians aren't creative in science, and pointed towards the lack of Nobels as proof?

  • 0

    timeon

    this is a log due prize. The problem is that is was impossible to narrow it down to three guys, so basically the survivors got it, that's why it looks like a "retirement prize". If Mizoroki wouldn't have died, he should have got it instead of Heck. Japan is very strong in research development and especially catalysis and organometallics. And Shinjukuboy, you are wrong, at least regarding chemistry, Japan is one of the few places where you can still get funded for basic research.
    Goddog, now the retirement age from national universities is 65. due to the senioral system in Japan, it's basically impossible to kick out a stubborn old senile dude, so they use the forced retirement. then you can teach at a private university, and actually they pay better (the basic salary at a national university is ridiculous)

  • 0

    timeon

    sorry, that should read "very strong in new reaction development"

  • 0

    ca1ic0cat

    Fundamental research in Japan really took off in the 1980's and has been continuing to gather pace. This was a nice bit of work. Usually a Nobel for real research (not Al Gore or that other guy) usually has to be reduced to practice or proven by experiment (e.g. particle physics) before a prize is awarded. That might explain the delay. In any case, this is a prize given for solid work that will benefit all. It's well deserved and congratulations to all involved.

  • 0

    jam_sandwich

    Bah, now it's nothing but "why are we Japanese so good at science?" on TV, with the answer being implied "we are Japanese" Just another reason the J-media sucks. Congrats nonetheless to these men.

  • 0

    Apsara

    Professor Negishi has apparently lived in the US the majority of the time since the 1960s. I would be willing to bet he is an American citizen, and was made to give up his Japanese citizenship at some point like at least one of last year's winners as well.

    It would be nice if this kind of thing would make the bureaucrats re-think their archaic policy of not allowing dual citizenship.

  • 0

    cleo

    Bah, now it's nothing but "why are we Japanese so good at science?" on TV, with the answer being implied "we are Japanese"

    We must be watching different channels. The report I watched this morning had the commentators shaking their heads and bemoaning the fact that all this research leading to the Nobel Prizes was done decades ago, and that the current Japanese education system doesn't have what it takes to produce future Nobel laureates from the present crop of students/researchers.

    Professor Negishi has apparently lived in the US the majority of the time since the 1960s. I would be willing to bet he is an American citizen, and was made to give up his Japanese citizenship

    Wikipedia gives his nationality as Japanese.

  • 0

    shinjukuboy

    When I went through Japanese university in the early 90s, we all knew that corporate research facilities were the true repositories of knowledge, not universities. However, in the early 90s there was a significant rearranging of universities, including the way funds are distributed between undergrad and grad school, so maybe this changed.

  • 0

    The758

    congratulations to Richard Heck. NHK didn't even acknowledge his existence!! no surprise there!!

    The Japanese TV is going on about the two Japanese who won. Surprise! No mention of the foreigner. Way to go, Japan.

  • 0

    iam1banME

    Guys,'That other Guy" didn't nominate himself for the nobel peace slot, he understood the controversy that would ensue thus tailoring his acceptance speech to acknowledge that.

  • 0

    shinjukuboy

    You guys must have been listening to NHK in English subchannel because Richard Heck was mentioned in Japanese.

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