The Iwatani Naoji Memorial Award recognizes completed energy and environmental technology developments with demonstrated industrial results. The Iwatani Naoji Foundation administers the annual award from Tokyo.
Individuals or groups may be nominated through either the general category or the small and medium-sized enterprise category. The 2026 cycle is closed, with results due by late December and the award ceremony scheduled for March 5, 2027.
Benefits & funding
- The foundation may make up to two awards in the general category and up to two in the small and medium-sized enterprise category.
- Each recipient receives a certificate, a medal, and a ¥5 million prize.
Eligibility
- An individual or a group representative may be nominated; candidates and collaborators do not need to belong to a society, association, or other institution.
- The achievement must be a completed technology development with significant industrial results in energy use, environmental protection, energy or environmental innovation, or related new materials, biotechnology, or electronics.
- The small and medium-sized enterprise category is for people at an unlisted company with capital of no more than ¥300 million or no more than 300 employees; the group must contain no listed or large company, and the company must develop its own technology.
- A responsible officer of a relevant Japanese academic society, association, or other institution must nominate the candidate; each nominator may submit up to two nominations in each category.
- No nationality, residency, degree, age, gender, or work-experience threshold is stated.
Can you apply?
Open to all applicants
No nationality, residency, education, or experience limits are listed.
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Application process
- 1Choose either the general category or the small and medium-sized enterprise category; the same achievement cannot be entered in both.
- 2Secure nomination from a responsible officer of a relevant Japanese society, association, or other institution.
- 3Prepare the award application, an officially sealed recommendation, one or two extracts related to the achievement, and objective data demonstrating its results.
- 4Submit the documents through the foundation WEB application system during the annual application window.
Program timeline
Applications opened.
Jun 1, 2026
Application deadline.
Aug 31, 2026
Selection results will be notified.
By late December 2026
Award ceremony.
Mar 5, 2027
The next annual application window opens under the published recurring schedule.
Jun 1, 2027