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 January 16, 2026, the Hitachi Global Foundation held the FY2025 Asia Innovation Award Ceremony at the Langham Hotel in Jakarta. Established in FY2020, this award program aims to promote science and technology innovations that contribute to solving societal issues in ASEAN and to the realization of a sustainable society.
On the day of the ceremony, award recipients, selection committee members, university representatives, and alumni of the Hitachi Scholarship Program gathered at the venue. A total of 60 participants attended in person, with 52 joining online, and the ceremony began in a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
Group photo of participants
Best Innovation Award 2023
Best Innovation Award 2024
Best Innovation Award 2025
The ceremony opened with remarks by Hidenobu Nakahata, President of the Hitachi Global Foundation, followed by a congratulatory address from Mr. Mitsuru Myochin, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of the Embassy of Japan in Indonesia. The Best Innovation Awards were then presented to the recipients for FY2023–FY2025, followed by a video introducing the recipients of the Outstanding Innovation Award and Encouragement Award. Dr. Chairul Hudaya, M.Eng. of the University of Indonesia delivered a congratulatory message on behalf of the university rector. His heartfelt message was met with warm applause from the audience.
During the presentations by the Best Innovation Award recipients, each awardee shared the background and outcomes of their projects with enthusiasm, expressing a strong commitment to contributing to the sustainable development of Asia. This was followed by remarks from Selection Committee Chair Monte Cassim, who delivered a message highlighting the recipients’ challenges and expressing strong expectations for their future endeavors, drawing a round of enthusiastic applause from the audience.
At the networking reception following the ceremony, lively exchanges took place among award recipients and university representatives, fostering new connections across institutions and national borders. Further details of the award ceremony are available on the Hitachi Global Foundation website.
Networking reception
Networking reception
On March 2, 2026, the FY2025 (57th) Kurata Grant Ceremony was held at Keidanren Kaikan in Tokyo.
The Kurata Grant was proposed and established by Chikara Kurata, the second president of Hitachi, Ltd. It provides research funding to support next-generation researchers working in the natural sciences and engineering to address global social challenges, as well as in the humanities and social sciences that underpin an advanced science- and technology-driven society.
In FY2025, a total of 352 applications were received nationwide. Following a rigorous review by the selection committee, the Grant was awarded to 44 researchers.
At the grant ceremony, Selection Committee Chair Keisuke Hanaki reported on the selection process and shared words of encouragement, followed by the presentation of grant certifi cates by President Hidenobu Nakahata. Representative recipients from each field then spoke about their future aspirations. The research themes of all 44 recipients are available on the Foundation’s website.
Speeches by Recipient Representatives
Natural Sciences and Engineering
Energy and the Environment
Kyoto University Takanari Koike
Urban Development and Transportation
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
Takayuki Shinohara
Healthcare
Kyushu University Akinobu Senoo
Kyushu University
Akinobu Senoo
Humanities and Social Sciences
Nagoya Institute of Technology Marina Nishii
On the same day as the FY2025 (57th) grant ceremony, a research presentation session was held following the ceremony, in which four representative recipients presented the results of their completed research projects. The research outcomes of these four presenters, as well as other projects supported by the Kurata Grants, are published as research reports and are available on the Foundation’s website.
Presentation1: Kento Okabayashi
Presentation2: Riki Kawase
Presentation3: Da Bo
Presentation4: Ayumi Yamada
Presentation1
Energy and the Environment
Osaka Metropolitan University Kento Okabayashi
Development of catalytic transformation of alcohols via C–O bond cleavage
Presentation2
Urban Development and Transportation
Tokyo Institute of Technology Riki Kawase
Distributed Control of Relief Logistics for Inter-organizational Coordination under Imperfect Information
Presentation3
Healthcare
National Institute for Materials Science, Center for Basic Research on Materials Da Bo
Rotating crystal film based micro-focusing X-ray source using for endoscopes
Presentation4
Humanities and Social Sciences
The University of Shiga Prefecture Ayumi Yamada
Psychological research on the impact of search engine/generative AI service use on the spread of unconscious bias
Following the conclusion of the grant ceremony and research presentations, a reception was held, providing participants with opportunities for information exchange and networking. The Foundation hopes that these connections will contribute to the further advancement of their research activities.
On March 19, 2026, the Hitachi Global Foundation published a review of the first five years (FY2020–FY2024) of the Hitachi Global Foundation Asia Innovation Award on its website. We encourage you to take a look.
Representatives from the Osaka Prefectural Board of Education shared their distinctive initiatives toward building a multicultural society. Through collaboration from elementary to high school levels, they promote inclusive education that places children at the center, ensuring that no one is left behind. Further details of the roundtable discussion will be featured in Global Society Review vol.6, scheduled for publication in June 2026.
The Hitachi Global Foundation works in collaboration with Hitachi Group companies to implement a project-based learning program for fifth-grade students, aimed at developing the problem-finding and problem-solving skills required of future generations.
In FY2025, 47 employees from 11 Hitachi Group companies served as instructors at seven elementary schools in Japan: Hikarigaoka Elementary School; Tomise and Tomise-Nishi Elementary Schools (joint program) in Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture; Chikumazawa Elementary School in Miyoshi Town, Saitama Prefecture; Uehara Elementary School in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo; Makado Elementary School in Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture; and Matama Elementary School in Bungotakada City, Oita Prefecture.
At the lecturer exchange event held on February 3, 2026, participating instructors and CSR representatives shared approaches for supporting the program. Through group work activities, participants discussed the concept of an ideal school, exchanged ideas on challenges and solutions, and presented their findings.
The meeting served as a valuable opportunity to strengthen ongoing collaboration toward the next fiscal year and further enhance the program.
Lecturer Exchange Event
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