Tokyo

Akira Yoshino, 71, one of the three laureates of this year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry, and five others will be awarded the Order of Culture for this year, the Japanese government said Tuesday.

The five others are Japanese "kyogen" traditional comic play actor Nomura Man, 89, mathematical engineering scholar Shunichi Amari, 83, immunologist Shimon Sakaguchi, 68, political scientist Takeshi Sasaki, 77, and photographer Takeyoshi Tanuma, 90.

No woman was named a recipient of the national award for the third straight year.

Amari is the first to win the recognition in the mathematical engineering field. Tanuma is the first photographer to be honored with the prestigious medal.

The Order of Culture "varies in importance" compared to science-related awards, Yoshino, honorary fellow of Japanese chemical maker Asahi Kasei Corp. said, expressing his delight at being recognized for his contribution to culture as a whole.

Yoshino, who was selected for the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry together with two other researchers for the development of lithium-ion batteries, also said he is looking forward to meeting with Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako at the award ceremony for the Order of Culture to be held at the Imperial Palace on Sunday, the Culture Day in Japan.

The government also announced 21 Persons of Cultural Merit, including Yoshino, kabuki actor Bando Tamasaburo, 69, movie director Nobuhiko Obayashi, 81, and Shigeru Miyamoto, 66, representative director and fellow at Nintendo Co. who is known as the creator of the popular Mario video game series.

The award ceremony for the Persons of Cultural Merit will be held at a Tokyo hotel on Nov. 5.

(Jiji Press)