PROFESSIONAL LUNCHEON
Japan's Nobel Prizes and the Need for Education Reform
Ryoji Noyori, 2001 Nobel laureate in chemistry & Nagoya University Distinguished Professor
12:00-13:30 Tuesday, December 16, 2025
Language: The speech will be in English and Q & A will be in Japanese with English interpretation.
The Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan is proud to invite members to a professional luncheon with Ryoji Noyori, distinguished professor at Nagoya University and Nobel-Prize winner in chemistry. Dr. Noyori will speak on what Japan's recent Nobel Prizes say about the nation's scientific efforts and how they could be improved through educational reform.
This year, two Japanese scientists won Nobel Prizes, showing once again that Japan's research can be world class. The country is rightly proud of the awards, one for medicine and the other for chemistry. But over the longer term, Japan's Nobel record is less than stellar. Prior to this year, Japan's most recent scientific Nobel Prize was awarded in 2019. Some argue that Japan's educational system, with its emphasis on preparing students for the all-important university entrance exams, stifles the development of the critical thinking skills and creative mind-set that leads to scientific breakthroughs.
In response, Dr. Noyori, a 2001 Nobel laureate in chemistry, is on a crusade to reform Japan's educational system. Among other things, he is urging the nation to adopt a more well-rounded educational approach in which achievements are measured less by examinations and more by interviews and essays. A Kobe native, Dr. Noyori studied at Kyoto University, did a postdoctoral stint at Harvard University and then joined the faculty of Nagoya University, where he did his Nobel Prize winning work. He was later president of RIKEN, Japan's network of national research institutes, and is currently president of the Japan Academy.
Come hear Noyori's take on what the recent Nobel Prizes say about the current condition of Japanese science.
How to attend the event in person:
Please register at front@fccj.or.jp with your name, the name of your media outlet, and FCCJ membership number. The lunch charge for members is 2,500 yen (including tax), and for non-members, 3,000 yen (including tax). Reservation/cancellation deadline is noon on Monday, December 15th Reservations and cancellations are not complete without confirmation. Please note lunch will not be served after the speech begins. Working journalists and student members can attend the event after the meal service for free.
How to watch online: https://www.youtube.com/c/FCCJchannel/live
How to ask questions: https://forms.gle/9UiiFUH62g57AQ2A9
TV crews: Please reserve at front@fccj.or.jp. Doors open for TV crews only 30 minutes before the event. FCCJ will limit live-streaming of FCCJ-hosted press conferences to Club members only. Non-members will no longer be permitted to live-stream these events.However, non-members may still film for reporting purposes and use footage after the press conference.
Professional Activities Committee