Suntory Global Innovation Center

Yoshikazu Tanaka, Chief Operating Officer of the Institute for Plant Science, who leads the development team of "blue roses," received the 2009 Japan Prize of Agricultural Science and the 46th Yomiuri Prize of Agricultural Science.

The "Japan Prize of Agricultural Science," which was established in 1925, is awarded to a "person who has made remarkable achievements in agronomics" by the Association of Japanese Agricultural Scientific Societies, and is said to be the highest honor among agronomic researchers in Japan. The "Yomiuri Prize of Agricultural Science" is awarded to an excellent agronomic research study by Yomiuri Shimbun, and this year's award was the 46th.

These prizes were awarded for research achievements entitled "Development of new varieties, such as blue rose varieties, using flower color design technologies and its practical application." High evaluation was received for the long-term endeavors to elucidate synthetic pathways of flavonoids, the major components of flower colors, and for the practical application of their results to the commercialization of "Moonseries" and "blue roses," which had large social impacts. It is rare that a researcher at a private company receives these prizes. This honor is the first one related to Suntory since Zenbei Kawakami was awarded in 1941 (Research achievement: "Breeding of Grapes by Hybridization").