- Advanced Technology - Richard Karp, UC Berkeley, for work measuring how difficult certain computational problems are to solve
- Arts & Philosophy - Charles Taylor, McGill University (Professor Emeritus), for developing a social philosphy that allows individuals from diverse backgrounds to keep their identities and still live together peacefully
- Basic Sciences - Anthony Pawson, University of Tornoto, for research that improved understanding of how cells communicate
The awards are presented by the Inamori Foundation. Each recipient will receive a diploma, a gold medal, and a 50 million Yen (approx. $460,000) cash prize at a ceremony in Kyoto on November 10. The awards began in 1985 to honor people deemed to have made significant contributions to the scientific, cultural, and spiritual betterment of mankind.
