Ichiro Tanaka Awards Presented to Assistant Professor Akihiro Ishii of Tohoku University for New Developments in Half-Heusler Compounds as Highly Refractive Transparent Materials, and Professor Yu Matsuda of Waseda University for Establishment of a Temperature Measurement Technique for Highly Efficient Operation of Cryogenic Fluids Using Ruthenium Complexes
TOKYO, Mar 31, 2025 – (JCN Newswire) – The TANAKA Memorial Foundation’s Representative Director, Hideya Okamoto, announced the recipients of the FY2024 Precious Metals Research Grants.
Following a rigorous screening process, Ichiro Tanaka Awards, for 3 million yen each, were presented to Assistant Professor Akihiro Ishii of Tohoku University and Professor Yu Matsuda of Waseda University. In addition, three research projects received the Innovative Precious Metals Award, and six KIRAMEKI Awards were presented.
The TANAKA Memorial Foundation undertakes programs designed to foster developments in new precious metal fields while contributing to the advancement of science, technology, and socio-economics for the overall enrichment of society. The research grant program was launched in FY1999 and has continued each year since with the goal of supporting the various challenges of the “new world opened up by precious metals. “Forging a better tomorrow with ‘Hirameki’ and ‘Kirameki’” was adopted as the catchphrase for this year, the program’s 26th year. Applications were invited for 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. As a result, a total of 238 applications were received, and a total of 27 research grants of 19.8 million yen was awarded.
The names of the recipients of the Ichiro Tanaka Award, their research, and the reasons for their selection are below.
Ichiro Tanaka Award
Assistant Professor Akihiro Ishii of Tohoku University
New developments in Half-Heusler compounds as highly refractive transparent materials
This research led to the theoretical discovery that Half-Heusler compounds, including rhodium, iridium, platinum, gold, and other precious metals, become highly refractive materials that are transparent in the near infrared range. The research was highly rated for presenting a new method for using precious metals, and for its possible application to a wide range of technologies, including sensors for use in photoelectric conversion devices and automated driving technologies, and exposure equipment used in semiconductor manufacturing.
Ichiro Tanaka Award
Professor Yu Matsuda of Waseda University
Establishment of a temperature measurement technique for highly efficient operation of cryogenic fluids using ruthenium complexes
This research seeks to develop a technique for measuring temperature distribution observed in the cryogenic range, which is not possible using infrared light, by using the fluorescence of ruthenium complexes. With increasing demand for liquefied natural gas and liquid hydrogen over recent years, the research was highly rated for presenting an innovative technique able to measure the temperature distribution data required when designing equipment for improving the efficiency of transporting and operating such materials, and as research and development that can contribute significantly toward carbon neutrality.
Three Innovative Precious Metals Awards, six KIRAMEKI Awards, and 16 HIRAMEKI Awards were also granted. The recipients and an overview of the Precious Metals Research Grants are indicated below. Applications for the FY2025 research grants are scheduled to open in the fall.
List of FY2024 Precious Metals Research Grants Recipients
Overview of the 2024 Precious Metals Research Grants
Conditions
New research and development that uses precious metals or can be applied to precious metals, contributes to the creation of a sustainable future, and falls under any of the following
– New technology related to precious metals (new materials, processing methods, process development, etc.)
– Research that brings about innovative evolution in product development (new functions, process development, computational science, etc.)
– Research and development of new products using precious metals
– Effective technologies for creating a well-balanced and prosperous society
* Precious metal refers to eight elements of platinum, gold, silver, palladium, rhodium, iridium, ruthenium and osmium.
* If development is conducted jointly (or planned to be) with other material manufacturers, please indicate so.
* Products that have already been commercialized, put to practical use, or that are planned are not eligible.
Grant Amounts (Maximum amounts from a grant pool of 20 million yen)
| Umekichi Tanaka Award | 10 million yen |
| Ichiro Tanaka Award (Previously Gold Award) | 3 million yen |
| Innovative Precious Metals Award (Previously Silver Award) | 1 million yen |
| KIRAMEKI Award (Previously Young Researcher Award) | 1 million yen |
| HIRAMEKI Award (Previously TANAKA Special Award) | 300,000 yen |
*The grant amount is treated as a scholarship donation.
*Awards may not be granted in some cases.
Note: Names of the Gold Award, Silver Award, Young Researcher Award, and TANAKA Special Award have changed from this year.
Eligible Candidates
– Personnel who belong to (or work for) educational institutions in Japan (universities, graduate schools, or technical colleges) or public and related research institutions may participate.
*As long as the applicant is affiliated with a research institution in Japan, the base of activity can be in Japan or overseas.
*The KIRAMEKI Awards are for researchers under the age of 37 as of April 1, 2024.
Application Period
– 9am, September 2, 2024 (Mon) – 5pm, November 30, 2024 (Sat)
Inquiries Concerning the Research Grant Program
Precious Metals Research Grants Office
Global Marketing / R&D Supervisory Department, TANAKA PRECIOUS METAL TECHNOLOGIES Co., Ltd.
2-6-6 Nihonbashi Kayabacho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-0025
E-mail: joseikin@ml.tanaka.co.jp
TANAKA Memorial Foundation website: https://tanaka-foundation.or.jp
TANAKA Memorial Foundation
Organization Name: TANAKA Kikinzoku Memorial Foundation
Address: 22F Tokyo Building, 2-7-3 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Representative: Hideya Okamoto (Special Advisor, TANAKA Holdings Co., Ltd.)
Incorporated: 2015
Purpose of Business: To provide grants for research related to precious metals to contribute to the development and cultivation of new fields for precious metals, and to the development of science, technology, and the social economy.
Areas of Business: Provision of grants for scientific and technological research related to precious metals. Recognition of excellent analysis of precious metals and holding of seminars and other events.
TANAKA PRECIOUS METAL TECHNOLOGIES Co., Ltd.
Headquarters: 2-6-6 Nihonbashi Kayabacho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Representative: Koichiro Tanaka, Group CEO
Founded: 1885
Incorporated: 1918
Capital: 500 million yen
Employees: 2,798 (Including overseas subsidiaries) (December 31, 2024)
Sales: 353,213,723,000 yen (FY2024)
Main businesses: Manufacture, sales, import and export of precious metals (platinum, gold, silver, and others) and various types of industrial precious metals products.
URL: https://tanaka-preciousmetals.com
Press Inquiries
TANAKA Holdings Co., Ltd.
https://tanaka-preciousmetals.com/en/inquiries-for-media/
Press release: https://www.acnnewswire.com/docs/files/20250331_EN.pdf