Japanese Academy Awards

The Japan Academy Film Prize are the most important Japanese film awards, awarded annually by the Japan Academy Award Association since 1978.

Full List of the Japan Academy Awards (1989 to 2024)

History of the Japanese Academy Awards

The Japanese Academy Awards were created by Japanese film director and critic Haruo Mizuno. During the Kyoto Festival in 1977, he had the idea of ​​creating an award that would allow a film to be further exalted, other than a festival, obtaining wide approval and participation in various film circles of the time.

Prize selection

The Academy Awards are chosen by a vote of the 3,900 members of the Japan Filmmakers Association. Members pay an annual membership fee of 20,000 yen, which allows them to watch the movies for free in major theaters.

The films subject to selection are films released in Tokyo during the year, from mid-December to mid-December of the year before the awards ceremony. Unlike many other film awards, the Japan Academy Award also has categories that reward the technical department.

The Japan Academy Award Association includes directors, actors, and affiliated companies of the Japan Film Producers Association.

Statuette of the Japan Academy Awards

The Trophy was made by the sculptor Masayuki Nagare. The statuette is made of bronze and measures 27 cm high x 11 cm wide.

Award ceremony

The place where the event has been held since 1998 has been the prestigious Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa, in Tokyo. Tickets are sold to regular customers.

Japan Academy Awards Statistics

Below we present updated reports and statistics from the Japan Academy Awards, taking into account the editions made from the year 1989 to 2024.

What are the films that have won the most Japan Academy Awards?

The films that have won the most Japan Academy Awards, between 1989 and 2024 are: Shall We Dance? (14 awards), Always: Sunset on Third Street (13 awards) and The Twilight Samurai (13 awards). Here are the top 10 films that have won the most Japanese Academy Awards:

Which director has won the most Japan Academy Awards?
 

The directors who have won the Japan Academy Award for Best Director the most between 1989 and 2024 are: Yôji Yamada (3 awards), Hirokazu Koreeda (3 awards) and Shohei Imamura (2 awards).

Director	Awards
Yôji Yamada	3
Hirokazu Koreeda	3
Shohei Imamura	2
Takashi Yamazaki	2
Masayuki Suo	2
Yojiro Takita	1
Hideaki Anno	1
Shinji Higuchi	1
Wim Wenders	1
Masahiro Shinoda	1

Which actor has won the most Japan Academy Awards?

The actors who have won the Japanese Academy Award the most times between 1989 and 2024 are: Kôji Yakusho (5 awards), Ken Watanabe (3 awards) and Masahiro Motoki (3 awards).

Actor	Awards
Kôji Yakusho	5
Ken Watanabe	3
Masahiro Motoki	3
Satoshi Tsumabuki	3
Rentarô Mikuni	3
Naoto Takenaka	3
Tsutomu Yamazaki	2
Akira Emoto	2
Akira Terao	2
Kiichi Nakai	2

Which actress has won the most Japan Academy Awards?

The actresses that have won the Japanese Academy Award the most times between 1989 and 2024 are: Sakura Andô (5 awards), Kirin Kiki (4 awards) and Kimiko Yo (3 awards).

Actress	Awards
Sakura Andô	5
Kirin Kiki	4
Kimiko Yo	3
Rie Miyazawa	3
Haru Kuroki	3
Masami Nagasawa	3
Sayuri Yoshinaga	3
Yoko Maki	2
Tanie Kitabayashi	2
Eri Ishida	2

Which countries have won the most Japan Academy Awards for Best Foreign Film?