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Professor Kazuo Okanoya of Advanced Comprehensive Research Organization at Teikyo University has received the 24th Yamashina Yoshimaro Prize.

On Monday, June 15, 2026, Kazuo Okanoya, a Specially Appointed Professor at Teikyo University (Advanced Comprehensive Research Organization), received the 24th Yamashina Yoshimaro Award, sponsored by the Yamashina Institute for Ornithology (a public interest incorporated foundation) and co-sponsored by The Asahi Shimbun Company, Ltd.
The Yamashina Yoshimaro Award was established in 1992 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Yamashina Institute for Ornithology Foundation. Its purpose is to honor individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to Japanese ornithology and bird conservation, thereby contributing to the advancement of Japanese ornithology and the promotion of bird conservation.
Professor, a Specially Appointed Researcher at Okanoya, focused his research on the song of the Japanese white-eye, a traditional Japanese pet bird, and elucidated the mechanism by which songs are formed through the diverse combination of multiple sounds.Furthermore, he was highly commended for demonstrating changes in the brain and behavior associated with domestication through comparative studies with the wild ancestor, the White-rumped Oriole, as well as for his contributions to the education and training of the next generation through this research, which led to this award.
Furthermore, a symposium commemorating the award, titled “The Science of Vocal Communication Pioneered by Bird Song,” is scheduled to be held at the Yayoi Auditorium at the University of Tokyo on Saturday, September 12, 2026.

Click here for information about the Yamashina Yoshimaro Prize.
Click here for information about the Teikyo University Advanced Comprehensive Research Organization
Click here for information on Professor Kazuo Okanoya.

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