Scientist Tasuku Honjo Becomes 26th Japanese Nobel Laureate

December 11, 2018

Stockholm--Japanese scientist Tasuku Honjo, 76, and U.S. researcher James Allison, 70, jointly received the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine at an award ceremony in Stockholm on Monday, for their achievements that paved the way for cancer immunotherapy.

Honjo became the 26th Japanese Nobel laureate. The previous Japanese winner was Tokyo Institute of Technology Prof. Yoshinori Ohsumi, 73, who was awarded the same prize in 2016.

Honjo, a professor at Kyoto University, attended the award ceremony in traditional Japanese dress for the first time since Yasunari Kawabata did so when he received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1968.

After the citation for the 2018 medicine prize was read, Honjo, with a nervous look on his face, received the Nobel Medal from Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf.

"I'm very pleased, honestly," Honjo told reporters after the ceremony.

His wife, Shigeko, 76, who watched the award ceremony at the venue, said, "It's an honor for me to see him attend such a gorgeous ceremony."

Later on Monday, Honjo gave a speech before about 1,340 participants in the Nobel Banquet at Stockholm's City Hall, saying that immunotherapy research based on his and Allison's discoveries is "just beginning."

"We encourage many more scientists to join us in our efforts to keep improving cancer immunotherapy," Honjo said, adding that the new cancer treatment will hopefully become available to everyone in the world.

Seated next to Swedish Princess Christina, Honjo enjoyed the special dinner while chatting with her and other participants.

In 1992, Honjo discovered a protein, called PD-1, that inhibits the human immune system. Using the brake protein, he developed revolutionary therapy for cancer.

Based on his research, Ono Pharmaceutical Co. <4528>, based in the western Japan city of Osaka, developed blockbuster cancer drug Opdivo, which was released in 2014.

Cancer immunotherapy is now expected as the fourth cancer therapy after existing oncologic drugs, radiation treatment and surgery.

The discovery of the PD-1 protein was derived from a study by a then student at Honjo's laboratory.

Following the award ceremony, the former student, Nara Institute of Science and Technology associate professor Yasumasa Ishida, 57, said in Stockholm that he felt the applause for Honjo was "twice as big as that for other Nobel winners," reflecting people's strong interest in cancer treatment.