The Japanese government announced today that it will award the Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon to Dr. Kazuo Takeuchi, for his considerable contribution to the development of science and technology. Dr. Takeuchi is a Senior Research Priority Planning Member of RIKEN's Research Priority Committee. We offer Dr. Takeuchi our sincere congratulations on this honor. The award ceremony will take place on May 19, 2009.

1978	Ph.D. in Engineering, University of Tokyo Postdoctoral fellow, Laser Science Group, RIKEN
1979	Research Scientist, Chemical Engineering Laboratory, RIKEN
1985	Research Scientist, Laser Science Group, RIKEN
1986	Chief Scientist, Director of Powder Technology Laboratory, RIKEN
1988	Chief Scientist, Director of Separation Engineering Laboratory, RIKEN
1990	Head of Molecular Laser Isotope Separation Group, RIKEN (concurrent role)
1995	Chief Scientist, Director of Applied Laser Chemistry Laboratory, RIKEN
1996	Visiting Professor, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Saitama University
1998	Technical Manager, Wyckoff Co. Ltd. (RIKEN Venture) (concurrent role)
2001	Chief Scientist, Director of Nanomaterial Processing Laboratory, RIKEN
2003	Representative Director, Wyckoff Co. Ltd. (RIKEN Venture) (concurrent role)
2007	Senior Research Priority Committee Member, RIKEN
2008	Director, Wyckoff Co. Ltd. (RIKEN Venture) (concurrent role)

Research Priority Committee Member, Dr. Teruo Okano, a Director and Professor at the Institute of Advanced Biomedical Engineering & Science at Tokyo Women's Medical College, will also be awarded the Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon.