Professor Takeuchi Minoru is a leading scholar of Chinese study. The study of Contemporary China is a comparatively new subject and had been analysed within the frame of social studies, such as politics and economics.

Professor Takeuchi, however, introduced a synthetic theory, so-called "Takeuchi Sinology," by adding viewpoints of literature, thought and history to the conventional approach, and established a new analysis of contemporary China. The qualities that characterize him as a notable scholar are his unprejudiced attitude and originality in seeing contemporary China as it is.

Contemporary Chinese study in the past tended to be dogmatic and too theoretical. Professor Takeuchi, however, tried to accept facts as they were without being preoccupied by any ideology and he placed China as one of the contemporary nations of the world. At the same time, his broad knowledge of Chinese classics contributed greatly to understanding contemporary China as well as its long history and tradition.

His penetrative insight developed a number of basic concepts which resulted in a greater understanding of China. For example, the concept "Tenkeiki (Turning Point)" introduced in the 1990's had great influence on scholars not only within Japan, but also in Hong Kong and Taiwan, consequently initiating a new understanding of China. He is widely acknowledged as a sincere researcher and continues to be an inspiring character to those who search for an approach to grasp real China.

After the war, he devoted himself to introducing contemporary Chinese literature while being engaged in the newly emerging Chinese language education. His accomplishments in the studies of Lu Xun and Mao Zedong are highly evaluated. His pioneering work, "Quotation from Mao Zedong", a collection of Mao's speeches and writings, offered a solid foundation to the Sinologies in the world. In particular, European Sinologists benefited in their examination of the human aspects of this Chinese communist leader. His knowledge of Sino-Japan relations since its restoration 20 years ago is extensive. His contribution to international exchange in the academic field is also enormous.

Professor Takeuchi's accomplishments in Chinese study deserve high evaluation and, therefore, truly make him worthy of the Domestic Academic Prize of the Fukuoka Asian Cultural Prizes.