“Forging a better tomorrow with ‘hirameki’ and ‘kirameki’” has been made the catchphrase for this 26th year of the research grant. The foundation looks forward to seeing research and development themes that contribute toward the continued creation of a better future using the creativity of researchers and the potential of precious metals.

Recipients this year will receive a total of 20 million yen in research grants, including up to 10 million yen under the Umekichi Tanaka Award. There are also new awards being offered this year: the Ichiro Tanaka Award, Innovative Precious Metals Award, KIRAMEKI Award, and HIRAMEKI Award. The Umekichi Tanaka Award is named after company founder Umekichi Tanaka, who strove to expand industrial use of precious metals, while the Ichiro Tanaka Award is named after the company’s second president Ichiro Tanaka, who strove for overseas collaboration.

Applications can be submitted using the application form on TANAKA Memorial Foundation website (https://tanaka-foundation.or.jp), and, after strict examination, award recipients will be announced at the end of March 2025.

TANAKA Memorial Foundation aims to contribute to the development and cultivation of new fields for precious metals and to the development of science, technology, and the social economy by conducting activities that enable more people to experience a prosperous society. This grant program aims to support a range of endeavors that can contribute to the creation of a sustainable future.

Last year, the Umekichi Tanaka Award was presented to “Research on bonding wire with electromagnetic wave shielding function” which sought to make it possible to use bonding wire in the high-frequency band, which was not previous possible, by coating the surface of bonding wire with a magnetic thin film containing precious metals.

Press Release: https://www.acnnewswire.com/docs/files/20240902.pdf