Nobel chemistry prize goes to Japan's Soai Kenso and France's Henri Kagan
Version 2: Later reports add a press conference at Tokyo University of Science, congratulations from Soai's former school and from fellow researchers, NHK's round-up of reactions, the BBC's flash coverage and the extra editions handed out in Hiroshima; the laureates, citation, prize sum and ceremony date are unchanged.
In short
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said on 7 October that the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry goes to Soai Kenso, 76, professor emeritus at Tokyo University of Science, and Henri Kagan of France, for work on nonlinear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis. Japanese outlets noted the chemistry prize has now gone to a Japan-linked researcher two years in a row, and Sankei and Mainichi described it as a third straight year of Japanese Nobel recognition. Soai said he learned of the award while shopping, and held a press conference at his university that evening; the ceremony is set for 10 December in Stockholm.
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The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said on 7 October that the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry goes to Soai Kenso, a professor emeritus at Tokyo University of Science, and Henri Kagan of France. Sankei Shimbun, Mainichi Shimbun and TBS NEWS DIG reported the citation as the discovery of nonlinear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis; Nippon TV and Livedoor News rendered it as the discovery of nonlinear effects and autocatalytic action in asymmetric organic synthesis. Yomiuri Shimbun quoted the selection committee as saying the work answered a chemical mystery of more than a century. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 10 , 22 , 27 ]
Sankei reported that Kagan showed in 1986 that a small imbalance between the two mirror-image forms of a molecule grows larger through a catalyst, a phenomenon called the nonlinear effect, and that Soai discovered in 1995 the asymmetric autocatalytic reaction known as the Soai reaction. In 2003, Sankei said, he showed that a very small imbalance could be enlarged by repeating the reaction until almost a single form was obtained. Mainichi and Nikkei described the question of why living things use predominantly one form of amino acids and sugars as a puzzle of more than a century, and Mainichi said the findings are a clue to how life came to use one form and contribute to designing reactions for medicines, whose effects and side effects can differ by molecular form. [ 4 , 10 , 32 ]
Soai spoke to the academy by phone. Asahi reported him saying, “Today has become one of the happiest days in my life. There are many researchers in this field. I am very happy to be recognised in the form of a Nobel Prize,” while Sankei quoted him saying it was “the most exciting day of my life” and Yomiuri reported him saying he was honoured to share the award with “Dr Henri Kagan, whom I respect”. Asked where he heard the news, Asahi and Sankei reported he said with a small laugh that he had been shopping nearby. Mainichi and TBS reported that he was shopping at a supermarket at the time. Tokyo Shimbun reported that he held a press conference at Tokyo University of Science in Shinjuku, Tokyo, that evening. [ 1 , 4 , 6 , 18 , 28 , 31 ]
Japanese outlets placed the award in a run of recognition. Nippon TV, Livedoor News and Sankei said the chemistry prize has now gone to a Japan-linked researcher two years in a row, after Kitagawa Susumu in 2025, and Sankei and Mainichi described this as the third consecutive year of Japanese Nobel recognition, Mainichi citing Sakaguchi Shimon of Osaka University and Kitagawa for 2025. Nippon TV, Livedoor News and Sankei put the cumulative Japanese total at 31 individuals and one organisation including researchers who took foreign nationality; Mainichi gave the individual figure as 31. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 10 ]
Reaction followed in Soai's home region and among researchers. TBS reported that extra editions were handed out in a busy district of Hiroshima city after 9pm, and that a resident of Fuchu town said it was striking that someone from a small town had won. Sankei reported that seniors from his former Hiroshima University High School said they were “very proud”, that the vice principal of the affiliated junior and senior high school said “I thought a day like this would come”, and that Kyoto University professor Suginome said the time had ripened and the recognition had come. NHK gathered voices from several places, describing Soai as a “legendary professor”, as a scholar of an older type and as devoted to research. [ 11 , 13 , 15 , 17 , 21 , 26 ]
The prize money is 12 million Swedish kronor, which Asahi put at about 189 million yen and Sankei and Mainichi at about 190 million yen; Asahi said the sum is roughly a tenth higher than last year. The award ceremony is scheduled for 10 December in Stockholm, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel's death. TBS reported that the BBC carried a flash bulletin on the award, saying the two scientists had clarified the mystery of “the asymmetry of life”. [ 1 , 4 , 9 , 10 ]
Why it matters
The prize recognises work on why living things use almost only one of two mirror-image forms of molecules, a question outlets describe as open for more than a century and one that bears on how medicines are designed. For Japan, the outlets frame the award as a third consecutive year of Nobel recognition and a second straight chemistry prize. TBS reported that the BBC carried a flash bulletin, indicating attention outside Japan.
Key facts
- The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced on 7 October 2026 that the Nobel Prize in Chemistry goes to Soai Kenso of Tokyo University of Science and Henri Kagan of France. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 10 , 22 ]
- The stated reason is the discovery of nonlinear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 10 , 22 ]
- The prize money is 12 million Swedish kronor, which Asahi put at about 189 million yen and Sankei and Mainichi at about 190 million yen; the ceremony will be held in Stockholm on 10 December. [ 1 , 4 , 10 ]
- Soai is 76 and was born in Hiroshima Prefecture in 1950; TBS reported his hometown as Fuchu town in Hiroshima Prefecture. [ 1 , 4 , 10 , 26 , 31 ]
- Japanese outlets reported the chemistry prize has gone to a Japan-linked researcher for a second consecutive year, after Kitagawa Susumu in 2025, and that Japanese Nobel laureates including those with foreign nationality now total 31 individuals and one organisation. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 10 ]
- Soai said he learned of the award while shopping near his home and described it as one of the happiest or most exciting days of his life. [ 1 , 4 , 6 , 8 , 28 , 31 ]
- Sankei reported that Kagan showed the nonlinear effect in 1986 and that Soai discovered the asymmetric autocatalytic reaction in 1995 and in 2003 showed a very small imbalance could be enlarged to almost a single form. [ 4 ]
- After the announcement, extra editions were handed out in central Hiroshima after 9pm, and former school officials and fellow researchers in Hiroshima and Kyoto expressed congratulations. [ 11 , 15 , 17 , 21 , 26 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Soai Kenso of Tokyo University of Science and Henri Kagan of France. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 10 , 22 , 27 ]
- The academy cited the discovery of nonlinear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 10 , 22 ]
- The award ceremony will be held in Stockholm on 10 December. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 10 ]
- The prize money is 12 million Swedish kronor. [ 1 , 4 , 10 ]
- The chemistry prize has gone to a Japan-linked researcher for a second consecutive year, after Kitagawa Susumu in 2025. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 10 ]
- Japanese Nobel laureates including those with foreign nationality now total 31 individuals and one organisation. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 10 ]
- Soai is a professor emeritus at Tokyo University of Science and was born in Hiroshima Prefecture. [ 1 , 4 , 10 , 14 , 19 , 26 ]
Still unclear
- Kagan's institutional affiliation Asahi and Mainichi place him at Paris South University, while Nippon TV, Livedoor News and Sankei name Paris-Saclay University; the documents do not reconcile the two.
- How the tally of Japanese laureates is counted Nippon TV and Livedoor News say 30 individuals and one organisation through last year, making Soai the 31st, while Sankei states the total as 31 individuals and one organisation including foreign nationality; the documents differ on where the organisation sits in the figure.
- Where Soai was when he received the call Asahi says he was shopping nearby and Sankei says near his home, while Mainichi and TBS refer to a supermarket; the documents do not settle the location.
- The phone call between Soai and Prime Minister Takaichi Reported only by Nippon TV, in a headline and short summary, with no further detail.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Asahi Shimbun reports that the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has announced Soai Kenso and Henri Kagan as this year's chemistry laureates, and quotes Soai on the phone from the academy's selection committee press conference. [ 1 ]
- Nippon TV News and Livedoor News publish flash reports naming the two laureates and the citation. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Sankei Shimbun publishes a detailed account, including Kagan's 1986 nonlinear effect work, Soai's 1995 and 2003 results, and his remark that it was “the most exciting day of my life”. [ 4 ]
- Asahi Shimbun follows with a story focused on Soai's reaction, saying he heard the news while shopping. [ 8 ]
- TBS NEWS DIG reports the BBC's flash coverage of the award, and Mainichi Shimbun publishes an account noting the prize resolves a question open for more than a century. [ 9 , 10 ]
- Sankei Shimbun reports that seniors from Soai's former Hiroshima University High School said they were “very proud”. [ 11 ]
- Tokyo Shimbun reports that Soai held a press conference at Tokyo University of Science in Shinjuku, Tokyo. [ 18 ]
- NHK News reports congratulations from various places, including descriptions of Soai as a “legendary professor”. [ 21 ]
- Nippon TV News reports that Prime Minister Takaichi spoke with Soai by phone. [ 24 ]
- TBS NEWS DIG reports that extra editions announcing the award were handed out in central Hiroshima after 9pm. [ 26 ]
- Award ceremony to be held in Stockholm, where the prize money is presented. [ 1 , 4 , 10 ]