[Nobel Week] Nobel Prize Commemorative Reception at the Residence of the Japanese Ambassador to Sweden

On December 9, a reception commemorating the 2025 Nobel Prize was held at the residence of the ambassador of Japan to Sweden. A total of 189 guests attended the event, including Distinguished Professor Susumu Kitagawa of iCeMS, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, and Distinguished Honorary Professor Shimon Sakaguchi of the University of Osaka, laureate of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, along with their families and associates, government officials from Japan and Sweden, representatives of research institutions, and members of the Japanese community in Sweden.

The ceremony opened in a formal atmosphere with the performance of the Swedish and Japanese national anthems. Hideaki Mizukoshi, Ambassador of Japan to Sweden, delivered welcoming remarks reflecting the role of Japanese science within the international community, while expressing his appreciation to Swedish partners.

Congratulatory remarks were then delivered on behalf of the Nobel Foundation by its Chair, Astrid Söderbergh Widding, who commended Japanese researchers for their contributions to the advancement of science through international collaboration.

In the laureates’ speeches, Professors Sakaguchi and Kitagawa each expressed gratitude for the research environments and the many individuals who have supported their work. Professor Kitagawa, in particular, highlighted the importance of a free and flexible research environment, together with strong government support, in advancing scientific research. Following the speeches, the laureates signed the undersides of their chairs, a gesture inspired by a tradition of the Nobel Foundation.

A toast was proposed by Hiroshi Masuko, Administrative Vice Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, who extended congratulations to the laureates and reaffirmed the Japanese government’s commitment to supporting research.

During the reception, participants enjoyed conversation and commemorative photographs with the laureates, sharing in the celebration and further strengthening exchanges between Japan and Sweden.