Bob Kahn and Vint Cerf have been awarded the 2008 Japan Prize for Information Communication Theory and Technology for their work “Creation of network architecture and communication protocol for the Internet”.

The Japan Prize is awarded to recognize outstanding achievements in science and technology.

Each Japan Prize laureate receives a certificate of merit and a commemorative medal. A cash award of 50 million yen is also presented for each prize category. The award is intended for a single person, in principle, but small groups of researchers are also eligible.

The laureates are selected each January. The Presentation Ceremony is held in the presence of Their Majesties, the Emperor and Empress in Tokyo in April in the following year.

The week in which the Japan Prize is presented is designated as “Japan Prize Week”. During this period, the laureates feature at commemorative lectures and attend academic discussion meetings. They take part in various other activities, including a visit to the Prime Minister and The Japan Academy.

The events are attended by the Prime Minister, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President of House the Councillors, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, foreign ambassadors to Japan and about a thousand other guests, including eminent academics, researchers and representatives of political, business and press circles.