The Hitachi Global Foundation publishes news letters featuring its many activities. We offer various types of news about our Foundation, ranging from activity reports on symposiums, seminars, awards ceremonies, and other events to our latest topics. Please take a look to find out more.
On Wednesday, February 26, 2025, we held the Hitachi Fund Support for Research Related to Infectious Diseases International Symposium on Initiatives and Insights Learned in Infectious Disease Control from the COVID-19 Pandemic Experience.
On the day of the symposium, 53 participants attended in person at the venue, while 184 joined online. The representatives of five research projects that have been supported by the Fund presented their research findings conducted over the three-year period from December 2021. Participants commented that each research project approached pandemic-related challenges uniquely and yielded valuable insights, and that there were expectations for further progress in the research activities.
A report on the symposium can be found on the following website.
Scene at the venue
Commemorative photo
Scene from the networking reception
Program
Opening Remarks
Osamu Naito, President, The Hitachi Global Foundation
Research Presentation and Q&A Session
Presentation1／Comprehensive Research
‟International Joint Study on Public Health Economics and Value Assessment of Prevention in Pandemic
– Lessons learned from COVID-19 and evidence-based recommendations for future crisis”
Dr. Hiroshi Suzuki, Professor, Graduate School of Public Policy, The University of Tokyo, Dr. Isao Kamae, Project Professor, Graduate School of Public Policy, The University of Tokyo
Presentation2／Field Expanding Research
‟Malaria eradication in the era of COVID-19 pandemic:
a study integrating sociological, economic,and medical approaches to overcome the challenges in tropical Africa”
Dr. Akira Kaneko, Specially Appointed Professor, Department of Parasitology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka Metropolitan University
Presentation3／Field Expanding Research
‟Covid-19 and Society:
Comparative Analysis of Risk Communication, Expertise, and Citizenship”
Dr. Mikihito Tanaka, Professor, Faculty of Political Science and Economics, Waseda University
Presentation4／Field Expanding Research
‟Exploration of Practical Wisdom and Resilience Overcoming Downside Risk
-Collecting grassroots voices in Africa under COVID-19”
Dr. Kazuyo Hanai, Project Assistant Professor, Institute for Future Initiatives, The University of Tokyo
Presentation5／Field Expanding Research
‟Implementing wastewater-based epidemiology in Asian communities to strengthen resilience against pandemics”
Dr. Eiji Haramoto, Professor, Interdisciplinary Center for River Basin Environment, University of Yamanashi
Comments by Chairperson of Selection Committee
Prof. Monte Cassim, President, Akita International University
On Monday, March 3, 2025, the presentation ceremony for the FY2024 (56th) Kurata Grants was held at the Keidanren Kaikan. The Kurata Grants is a research grant program proposed and established by Chikara Kurata, the second President of Hitachi, Ltd. It offers research grants for next-generation researchers working to address global social issues, spanning research in natural sciences, engineering, humanities, and social sciences that underpin a highly technological society.
This year saw 342 applications—a notable increase from last year—with grants awarded to 39 researchers after a rigorous selection process.
At the presentation ceremony, the chairman of the selection committee, Mr. Keisuke Hanaki, reported on the selection process for this fiscal year and President Naito of the Hitachi Global Foundation handed a grant certificate to each recipient. The researchers representing each category and area then took the stage and talked about their future ambitions and plans.
Please see the website below for the research themes of the 39 recipients FY2024.
Speeches by Recipient Representatives
Natural Sciences and Engineering
The University of Tokyo Takanori Iwasaki
Development of Chemical Recycling Method for Rigid Polyurethane Foam
Osaka Metropolitan University Haruka Kato
From Old New-Towns to Healthy New-Towns: Urban transformation to promote residents' daily walking steps
Ehime University Takashi Saitou
Development of a fluorescence polarization microscope for real-time measurement of molecular chemical reactions
The University of Tokyo
Takanori Iwasaki
Humanities and Social Sciences
Tokyo Women’s Medical University Ikuko Kashiwazaki
Bioethical Analysis of the Specific Content and Values of Technologies Known as ‟Life-Prolonging”
Tokyo Women’s Medical University
Ikuko Kashiwazaki
On the same day as the presentation ceremony for the FY2024 (56th) Grants, a research finding presentation session was held, where four representatives of past recipients, who had completed their research periods, presented their research findings. The research findings of these four representatives and other researchers funded by the Kurata Grants are published as research reports, so please visit our website for details.
Chuo University
Masao Gen
Tokyo Metropolitan University
Yohei Kurata
Presentation1
Development of electrodynamic balance for understanding aerosol-climate interactions
Chuo University Masao Gen
Presentation2
Can we find regional administrative issues from a huge amount of geo-tagged tweets?
Graduate School of Urban Environmental Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University Yohei Kurata
Presentation3
Breakthrough of epigenetic memory in AKI-to-CKD transition
University of Tokyo Imari Mimura
Presentation4
Short Product Cycles by Innovations in Production and Sales Management and Japanese Deflation
Keio University Yuki Teranishi
After the closing of the presentation ceremony and the research report meeting, the participants moved to a different venue for a social gathering. The attendees were able to exchange information in a friendly atmosphere and deepen their interaction. The Hitachi Global Foundation hopes that this interaction will lead to the further advancement of the research of all the participants.
The recipients of the FY2024 Hitachi Global Foundation Asia Innovation Award and their research outlines were published on the Hitachi Global Foundation website on Thursday, January 30, 2025.
Please visit the website to find out more.
The Hitachi Global Foundation's E-journal ‟Global Society Review” will host a symposium（in a hybrid format）to mark the release of its 5th issue.
Title
‟An Inclusive Society and Innovation Discovery: Shaping the Future of Japan”
Date
Sunday, June 15, 2025 13:00-16:00
Venue
AKIBAHALL（5th floor, AKIBA PLAZA）
On-site participation
First 180 applicants（Hybrid format with online broadcast）
The Hitachi Global Foundation is collaborating with the Hitachi Group companies to implement a project-based exploration program for fifth-grade students. The aim of this is to foster the students' abilities to find and solve problems, which are abilities required of future science and engineering professionals.
In the FY2024 program, 53 employees from nine Hitachi Group companies participated as lecturers, conducting onsite lessons at five schools: Takada Elementary School in Bungotakada City, Oita Prefecture; Nakamachi Elementary School in Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture; Hikarigaoka Elementary School in Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture; Saginuma Elementary School in Narashino City, Chiba Prefecture; and Uehara Elementary School in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo.
At the lecturer exchange event held on February 19, 2025, 37 lecturers participated and shared strategies for providing effective guidance to students, covering the required mindset, success stories, and methods for improving lesson delivery.
It was a very meaningful event for exchanges that will be useful for next year.
Lecturer Exchange Event
Monthly “INNOVATIVE LEARNING” Special feature
