Hideki Yukawa

23 January 1907 – 8 September 1981

Hideki Yukawa (1907-1981) was a Japanese theoretical physicist who predicted the existence of the meson as the carrier of the strong nuclear force in 1935. When particles matching his prediction were discovered, he became the first Japanese Nobel laureate, receiving the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1949. He spent most of his career at Kyoto University and was a prominent advocate for nuclear disarmament.

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Life events

Born in Tokyo, Japan
23 January 1907

Hideki Yukawa was born in Tokyo as Hideki Ogawa; his family moved to Kyoto the following year.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Graduated from Kyoto Imperial University
1929

Yukawa earned his degree in physics from Kyoto Imperial University, where his classmate was future Nobel laureate Sin-Itiro Tomonaga.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Married Sumi Yukawa and took her family name
1932

Hideki Ogawa married Sumi Yukawa in 1932 and, following Japanese custom, was adopted into her family, taking the name Yukawa.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Became lecturer at Osaka Imperial University
1933

Yukawa moved to Osaka Imperial University, where he carried out his groundbreaking work on nuclear forces.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Published meson theory of nuclear forces
1935

Yukawa proposed that the strong force binding protons and neutrons is mediated by a new massive particle, later identified as the pi meson.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Appointed professor at Kyoto Imperial University
1939

Yukawa returned to Kyoto as professor of theoretical physics.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Visiting professorships at Princeton and Columbia
1948 – 1953

After World War II, Yukawa worked in the United States at the Institute for Advanced Study and Columbia University.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics
1949

Yukawa received the 1949 Nobel Prize in Physics for his prediction of the existence of mesons, becoming the first Japanese Nobel laureate.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Became first director of the Research Institute for Fundamental Physics in Kyoto
1953

Yukawa returned to Japan to head the new research institute at Kyoto University, and later signed the Russell-Einstein Manifesto against nuclear weapons.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Died in Kyoto, Japan
8 September 1981

Hideki Yukawa died at his home in Kyoto at the age of 74.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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