Dear Members of the Zoological Society of Japan

At the meeting of the Board of Directors of the Zoological Society of Japan held from 13:00 on Friday, June 12, 2026, candidates for the Zoological Society of Japan Award, the Zoological Society of Japan Promising Award, the Narishige Zoological Science Promotion Award, and the Zoology Education Award were recommended by the Award Selection Committee.
As a result of deliberation, the Zoological Society of Japan Board of Directors has decided on the recipients of the 2026 awards as follows.

The reason for the award is as follows:

Reasons for the 2026 Zoological Society of Japan Awards

The Zoological Society of Japan Award

Honoo Satake (Chief Researcher, Suntory Foundation for Life Sciences, Bioorganic Research Institute)
Research topic: Elucidation of the germ cell development control mechanism in urochordates and study of its evolutionary aspects

Academic Society Award, Homare Satake, Abstract

Ryusuke Niwa (Professor, Transborder Medical Research Center / Life Science Center for Survival Dynamics, University of Tsukuba)
Research topic: Study on the regulatory mechanisms of insect development and physiology by humoral factors

Academic Award Ryusuke Niwa Abstract

Zoological Society of Japan Award for Encouragement of Young Scientists

Naoto Jimi (Lecturer, Akkeshi Marine Station, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University)
Research theme: "Phylogenetic taxonomy of marine invertebrates (especially annelids)"

Encouragement Award: Naoto Jimi - Abstract

Ryoya Tanaka (Lecturer, Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University)
Research theme: "Behavioral diversity in insects and the underlying neural mechanisms"

Encouragement Award: Ryoya Tanaka - Abstract

Seiji Wada (Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry and Life Science, School of Science and Engineering, Aoyama Gakuin University)
Research topic: Molecular physiological study of pineal color detection via the photoreceptive protein parapinopsin

Encouraging Prize: Seiji Wada - Abstract

Narishige Zoological Science Promotion Award

Shotaro Tanaka (Lecturer, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University)
Research topic: Measuring the hardness of tiny things

Narushige Promotion Award: Shotaro Tanaka - Abstract

Zoological Education Award

The Darwin's Wonderful World of Biology! Production Team
(NHK Content Production Center, 2nd Production Center for Science, and NHK Enterprises, Inc., Natural Science Department)
Award Theme: Production and broadcasting of the NHK program "The Darwin Ga Kita!"

*In alphabetical order, titles omitted

Public Interest Incorporated Foundation, Zoological Society of Japan