The Japanese Academy Awards have been held since 1977 to reward excellence in Japanese film. Award categories are similar to the American Academy Awards.
The most prestigious award is the best picture award. Past winners are:
| Year | Film (English) | Film (Japanese) | Director
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Twilight Samurai | たそがれ清兵衛 | Yoji Yamada |
| 2001 | Spirited Away | 千と千尋の神隠し | Hayao Miyazaki |
| 2000 | After the Rain | 雨あがる | Takashi Koizumi |
| 1999 | Poppoya | ぽっぽや | Yasuo Furuhata |
| 1998 | Begging for Love | 愛を乞う人 | Hideyuki Hirayama |
| 1997 | Princess Mononoke | もののけ姫 | Hayao Miyazaki |
| 1996 | Shall we Dance | Shall we ダンス？ | Masayuki Suo |
| 1995 | A Last Note | 午後の遺言状 | Kaneto Shindo |
| 1994 | Crest of Betrayal | 忠臣蔵外伝四谷怪談 | Kinji Fukasaku |
| 1993 | A Class to Remember | 学校 | Yoji Yamada |
| 1992 | Sumo Do, Sumo Don't | シコふんじゃった。 | Masayuki Suo |
| 1991 | My Sons | 息子 | Yoji Yamada |
| 1990 | Childhood Days | 少年時代 | Masahiro Shinoda |
| 1989 | Black Rain | 黒い雨 | Shohei Imamura |
| 1988 | The Silk Road | 敦煌 | Junya Sato |
| 1987 | A Taxing Woman | マルサの女 | Juzo Itami |
| 1986 | House on Fire | 火宅の人 | Kinji Fukasaku |
| 1985 | Gray Sunset | 花いちもんめ | Shunya Ito |
| 1984 | The Funeral | お葬式 | Juzo Itami |
| 1983 | Ballad of Narayama | 楢山節考 | Shohei Imamura |
| 1982 | Fall Guy | 蒲田行進曲 | Kinji Fukasaku |
| 1981 | Station | 駅 | Yasuo Furuhata |
| 1980 | Zigeunerweisen | ツゴイネルワイゼン | Seijun Suzuki |
| 1979 | Vengeance is Mine | 復讐するは我にあり | Shohei Imamura |
| 1978 | The Incident | 事件 | Yoshitaro Nomura |
| 1977 | The Yellow Hankerchief | 幸福の黄色いハンカチ | Yoji Yamada |
