President Fujii awarded France’s top decoration, the Legion of Honor
UTokyo President Teruo Fujii has been awarded France’s esteemed Legion of Honor on Sept. 7, 2026, in recognition of his contributions to strengthening academic collaboration between Japan and France. Fujii received the rank of Chevalier (Knight) during a ceremony held at the French Ambassador’s Residence in Tokyo.
The Legion of Honor, established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, is France’s highest national distinction given to individuals who have made significant contributions in fields ranging from the military to culture, scholarship and public life. For foreign recipients, the honor is often awarded in recognition of contributions to the development of academic and scientific exchange with France.
Presenting the award, French Ambassador Béatrice Le Fraper du Hellen praised Fujii’s long-standing contributions to Franco-Japanese scientific cooperation, including his leadership in expanding collaboration between UTokyo and the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS).
“For your academic journey, for what you have done and what you will continue to do, for the Franco-Japanese bilateral relationship, and for your ambitious vision of that relationship, France pays tribute to you,” she said.
Accepting the decoration, Fujii expressed his gratitude and reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening academic ties between Japan and France.
“I am profoundly honored to receive this distinction,” Fujii said at the ceremony where his family, colleagues and guests gathered to celebrate. “I shall continue to devote my utmost effort to deepening academic collaboration between France and Japan, and to the further progress of academia worldwide,” he said.
Fujii, who specializes in applied microfluidic systems, has long been engaged in Franco-Japanese research collaboration, particularly through joint initiatives with CNRS. Between 2007 and 2014, he served as a co-director of the Laboratory for Integrated Micro-Mechatronic Systems (LIMMS), a joint research center established and operated by Japan (UTokyo’s Institute of Industrial Science) and France (CNRS) since 1995, helping to promote cutting-edge research and foster international scientific exchange. Since assuming UTokyo’s presidency in 2021, Fujii has continued to support partnerships with French research institutions and promote international collaboration in higher education and research.
