Excellence in Chemistry at the German-Japanese Symposium in Tokyo
Japanese-German Cooperation
A chemistry symposium entitled “Catalysis & Synthesis, Advanced Materials & Chemical Biology” featuring top-class international speakers was held on 20 June in Tokyo. Nobel laureates in chemistry Professor Dr. Akira Suzuki (Nobel Prize 2010) and Professor Dr. Ryoji Noyori (Nobel Prize 2001) from Japan and Professor Dr. K. Barry Sharpless from the USA (Nobel Prize 2001) contributed presentations. This was Professor Noyori’s first public presentation since being awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry ten years ago.
Professor Dr. Helmut Schwarz (President, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation) gave an introduction to “Research in Germany”, while other excellent scientists presented their findings. The symposium, which celebrated the UNESCO Year of Chemistry 2011 and 150 years German-Japanese friendship, as well as the 50th anniversary of one of the world’s top professional chemistry journals, Angewandte International Edition, attracted 380 participants and proved a great success. A further 700 viewers watched the presentations broadcast live on the internet.
The event was organised by Dr. Sybille Grandel (Research in Germany), Dr. Johanna Kowol-Santen (Head, Chemistry and Process Engineering, DFG Head Office) and the DFG Office Japan in close cooperation with the Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker (GDCh) and Wiley VCH, which launched the initiative for the symposium. The Chemical Society of Japan (CSJ) and the Tokyo Institute of Technology (Titech), which provided the venue for the event, and the RIKEN institute were also involved. The German Research and Innovation Forum Tokyo (DWIH Tokyo) and Research in Germany set up a joint information booth showcasing Germany as an excellent location for research.
The positive outcome of the symposium and the satisfaction expressed by the 380 participants and guests proved the effectiveness of the organisers’ collaborative efforts. As chemistry students from Titech also performed several jobs on the day, prospective future researchers also shared in the event’s success.
On the evening prior to the symposium, the Chemical Society of Japan (CSJ) and the DFG Office Japan invited all the delegation members, as well as the speakers and moderators from Japan, to a “delegates’ dinner” at a traditional Japanese restaurant. The Nobel laureates were the centre of attention at this evening event, with the 10th anniversary of Professor Noyori’s and Professor Sharpless’ Nobel Prizes giving further cause for celebration. Dr. Alexander Olbrich, Consul General of the German Consulate General Osaka-Kobe, and Minister Peter Rondorf, Head of Economic and Scientific Department of the German Embassy in Tokyo, were among the guests of honour, as were representatives of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the German Research and Innovation Forum Tokyo. The dinner provided an opportunity for all the 38 participants to exchange ideas on recent developments in the field of applied chemistry, to update each other on the current state research in their respective countries, and to forge new relationships, as well as to strengthen old ones.
After dinner, Dr. Iris Wieczorek presented the President of the Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker, Professor Dr. Michael Dröscher, with a symbol of German-Japanese friendship as a reminder of the symposium, which was organised in cooperation with so many dedicated partners. Dr. Wieczorek had received the “fuboku”, bearing the inscription “German-Japanese Friendship”, after attending a Shintô ceremony at the famous Meiji Shrine with the delegation.
On 20 June, Professor Yasuhiro Iwasawa (President, The Chemical Society of Japan), Professor Dr. Michael Dröscher (President, Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker (GDCh)/Evonik Degussa GmbH), Dr. Kenichi Iga (President, the Tokyo Institute of Technology) and Dr. Peter Gölitz (Chief Editor, Angewandte Chemie) welcomed the approximately 380 participants in the German-Japanese chemistry symposium to the Kuramae Hall at the Tokyo Institute of Technology (Titech).
Nine excellent presentations delivered insights into key topics in applied chemistry. An additional 700 viewers, who were unable to attend this exceptional event in person, watched the presentations via a live online broadcast.
Professor Dr. Ryoji Noyori (Nobel Prize 2001, President of RIKEN / Professor at Nagoya University): “Asymmetric Hydrogenation: Our Three Decades with BINAP”
Professor Keisuke Suzuki (Dean, School of Science, Department of Chemistry, Tokyo Institute of Technology), Dr. Mikiko Sodeoka (RIKEN, Institute of Physical and Chemical Research), Dr. Neville Compton (Editor, Angewandte Chemie), Professor Masakatsu Shibasaki (Director, Institute of Microbial Chemistry, Tokyo), Professor Hideo Takezoe (Department of Organic and Polymeric Materials, Tokyo Institute of Technology) and Professor Dr. Wolfram Koch (Executive Director, Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker) moderated the programme. Professor Ichiro Okura (Executive Vice President for Planning, Tokyo Institute of Technology) gave the closing remarks.
The three Nobel Prize winners signed autographs during the breaks. The queue of participants reached way beyond the entrance of Kuramae Hall. The Nobel laureates’ essays, which were originally printed by the Nobel Foundation in 2001 and 2010, were reprinted in the brochure. 2011 is a special year for international cooperation in chemistry, and it also marks the 10th anniversary of Professor Dr. Noyori’s and Professor Dr. K. Barry Sharpless’ Nobel Prizes, which were awarded in Stockholm in 2001.
Professor Dr. Ryoji Noyori (front), Professor Dr. K. Barry Sharpless (centre) and Professor Dr. Akira Suzuki (back) signing autographs
Lively discussions between the participants and speakers arose during the reception following the event, which featured a “pretzels and beer” buffet sponsored by Wiley. The students embraced the opportunity to chat to the visitors from Germany, Switzerland and the USA.
The next day, the delegation went on to Peking, where a German-Chinese symposium took place.
