Japan’s Kenso Soai Shares 2026 Chemistry Nobel for Mirror-Molecule Discoveries
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Japan’s Kenso Soai and France’s Henri B. Kagan jointly won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry on October 7 for discoveries in asymmetric organic synthesis. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences recognized their work on non-linear effects and autocatalysis, which help explain how reactions favor one of two molecular mirror images. Soai is professor emeritus at Tokyo University of Science; Kagan is professor emeritus at the former Université Paris-Sud. The academy said their discoveries have been decisive in designing reactions to manufacture pharmaceuticals. They will share the 12 million Swedish kronor prize equally.