Laureates of the Fukuoka Prize 2019 were announced.
The Fukuoka Prize Committee has given final approval to the laureates selected by the Prize Jury.
The laureates for the fiscal year 2019 are as follows :
Grand Prize 2019
- Philippines / Public Sociologist
- Prof. Randolf David has played a dynamic part in achieving social justice in the Philippines by sharing his knowledge as a sociologist widely through university education, TV programs and newspaper columns, and has made great efforts to promote academic and cultural exchange among Asian countries and to deepen their mutual understanding. His determined actions to improve currently existing society for the better by opening universities to the public and by working together with citizens or through overseas networks, has earned him high praise as a leading Asian public intellectual and intellectual activist. He has also contributed greatly to systematizing Asian Studies and training young academics.
Academic Prize 2019
- Netherlands / Historian(Expert in Southeast Asian history)
- Prof. Leonard Blussé has created a new academic field of "the maritime history of early modern East/Southeast Asia", broad in chronological and geographical scope, and has established a fresh discipline of history based on an interdisciplinary approach. Beginning from Sinology, then adding some elements of Japanese Studies, and the maritime history of East Asia focused on Overseas Chinese, the scope of his research has expanded to cover the maritime history of Southeast Asia. In the currently popular historiographical trend of 'global history', his approach is highly regarded as providing an ideal framework for 'global history', which is based on 'micro' analysis without ever losing the 'macro' perspective.
Arts and Culture Prize 2019
- Japan / Playwright, Stage Director
- The stage director and playwright Mr. Sato Makoto has created a large number of outstanding theatrical productions which combine a contemporary ambience with traditional aesthetic sensibility. This innovative work has been highly praised both in Japan and abroad. He has also played a leading role in promoting international exchange in Asia through drama. Furthermore, working as an artistic director of public theaters, he has successfully transformed the conventional image of public halls. In recent years, he has been devoted to working on projects in order to foster Asian talents in the theatrical world.