National Institute for the Humanities (NIHU) held the award ceremony for the third NIHU International Prize in Japanese Studies on July 21, 2022 at the Japan Academy in Tokyo. Dr. Jean-Noël Robert, the recipient of the award and professor at the Collège de France, gave an online commemorative lecture titled “The Far Side of Language: Hieroglossia in Japanese Culture” as part of the ceremony.
　The eminent scholar first thanked NIHU for hosting the prize and the Kuraray Foundation for supporting the prize and acknowledged educational and research institutions in Japan with which he has previously interacted. Reminiscing about his scholarly endeavors, Dr. Robert shared several stories related to the hieroglossia concept he proposes and talked about hosting and compiling a collective treatise for international symposiums themed under the concept. He explained that instead of strictly focusing on hieroglossia-related phenomena in Japan’s linguistic and cultural sphere—which consists of yamato kotoba (Japanese) and classical Chinese, which helped Buddhist traditions find their way into Japan—the conferences also covered the relationship one can observe between Persian and Arabic languages in Iran and many other Eurasian linguistic and cultural circles.
　To view the commemorative lecture, click here.

Scene from the International Prize in Japanese Studies award ceremony

NIHU President Kibe presenting the award

Dr. Jean-Noël Robert

Dr. Robert showing the collection of academic papers for the symposium on hieroglossia he coordinated

Text: Go Ohba
Person responsible for the NIHU Global Partnership
Research Fellow, Center for Innovative Research, NIHU