Junichi Nishizawa's basic theory on optical fiber communications was criticized as being impractical when it was first proposed, but now optical fiber technology is everywhere and its inventor is the first Japanese recipient of the prestigious Edison Medal.
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers decided to confer the prize on Nishizawa, citing his invaluable contributions to the field of electronic communication.
The IEEE, founded in 1884, prides itself for having Thomas Edison as one of its founding members.
Nishizawa, who will fly to Vancouver for the award ceremony on June 24, said, "Perhaps I was recognized for doing research that was different from what other people were doing."