Princess Hitachi honors the 2025 Praemium Imperiale Laureates at Ceremony in Tokyo

TOKYO: October 22, 2025 ― Her Imperial Highness Princess Hitachi honored the laureates of the 36th Praemium Imperiale on behalf of His Imperial Highness Prince Hitachi, honorary patron of the Japan Art Association, at the Awards Ceremony held at the Meiji Kinenkan in Moto-Akasaka.

The ceremony began with opening remarks by Mr. Takamitsu Kumasaka, Councilor of the Japan Art Association, who paid tribute to the power of art and artists to bring people together across the globe. “I hope to contribute to the continued development of art and culture, and to the peace and prosperity of the world,” he said.Mr. Kumasaka spoke on behalf of Mr. Hisashi Hieda, who was unable to attend the ceremony due to health reasons.

Next, the International Advisors who nominated this year’s laureates took the stage to honor the recipients.

They included Lord Patten of Barnes (U.K., former Chancellor of the University of Oxford); Mr. Lamberto Dini (Italy, former Prime Minister); and Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton (U.S.A., former Secretary of State). Also appearing were Ms. Marie-Claire Janailhac-Fritsch (Vice Chair of the French Nomination Committee and President of the Fondation pour la Comédie-Française), representing French International Advisor, Mr. Jean-Pierre Raffarin (former Prime Minister), and Prof. Marion Ackermann (Vice Chair of the German Nomination Committee and President of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation), representing German International Advisor, Prof. Klaus-Dieter Lehmann (former President of the Goethe-Institut).

Following this, former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida delivered a congratulatory address.

Princess Hitachi then presented the Praemium Imperiale medals to the five laureates:

Testimonial letters and honoraria of 15 million yen were also presented by the trustees and selection committee members of the Japan Art Association.

Sir András Schiff delivered a speech of thanks on behalf of all the laureates.

Approximately 160 guests attended the ceremony, including past laureates such as Hiroshi Sugimoto (2009, Painting) and Fujiko Nakaya (2018, Sculpture), as well as ambassadors and members of the international arts community.