ISTANBUL

Japanese scientists Shimon Sakaguchi and Susumu Kitagawa were awarded Nobel Prizes on Wednesday in Stockholm for their groundbreaking achievements in medicine and chemistry.

Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf presented the gold medals and diplomas to Sakaguchi, a 74-year-old esteemed professor at Osaka University, and Kitagawa, a 74-year-old distinguished professor at Kyoto University, during a ceremony at the Stockholm Concert Hall.

It marked the first time in 10 years that Japanese Nobel laureates have been honored in two separate fields in the same year, according to Kyodo news agency.

Sakaguchi, who won the Nobel Prize in Medicine, was recognized for his discovery of regulatory T cells (Tregs), which prevent other T cells from attacking the body's healthy cells and have led to new treatments for autoimmune diseases, cancer and other health conditions.

Kitagawa, who received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, was honored for his development of metal-organic frameworks, porous materials capable of storing and releasing gases like methane and nitrogen.

Each Nobel Prize is accompanied by an award of 11 million kronor (approximately $1.2 million). Both Sakaguchi and Kitagawa shared their prizes with two other researchers in their respective fields.

Japan has now produced 31 Nobel laureates, including the Nihon Hidankyo group, which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last year for their anti-nuclear advocacy as atomic bomb survivors.