The Takao KASHIWAGI GXI Prize was established in 2023 for the purpose of realizing a carbon-neutral society in Japan, to promote the development of a society in harmony with the global environment, and to commemorate the achievements of Tokyo Institute of TechnologyThe Honorable Takao Kashiwagi Prof.. The GXI Award will be given as the Takao Kashiwagi GXI Award to individuals who have achieved particularly outstanding research and accomplishments, and will consist of three awards: the GX Research Award, the GX Open Innovation Award, and the GX Encouragement Award. An outline of each award is as follows.
GX Research Award
The purpose of this award is to recognize researchers who have contributed to the development of energy-related research and development for the development of a society in harmony with the global environment, thereby contributing to the development of energy development.
GX Open Innovation Award
The purpose of this award is to recognize companies, organizations, etc. that have contributed to the development of open innovation, which is research and development for social implementation of energy technology through collaboration among industry, government, academia, citizens, and some or the entire community, thereby contributing to the realization of a carbon-neutral society.
The purpose of this award is to contribute to the realization of a carbon-neutral society.
GX Encouragement Award
The purpose of this award is to recognize students or young researchers who have contributed to the development of energy-related research and development for the development of a society in harmony with the global environment, thereby contributing to the development of energy development.
The recipients of the Kashiwagi Prize (and their achievements) to date are as follows.
The award ceremony was held on March 11, 2025 at Kuramae Hall, Institute of SCIENCE TOKYO, Ookayama Campus.
GX Research Award
Toshiyuki Yokoi ( Prof., Institute of SCIENCE TOKYO, Director and CSO, iPEACE223 Co.
He has made significant contributions to GXI activities through his research on zeolite-catalyzed conversion reactions of min such as methanol, methane, and carbon dioxide, and his outstanding achievements in the value-added conversion of waste biomass.
Keigo Akimoto (Group Leader and Chief Researcher, Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth, Institute of SCIENCE TOKYO Specially Appointed Professor
Toward the realization of a carbon-neutral society in 2050, he developed the DNE21+ model, an evaluation model for global energy and CO2 measures based on detailed technical data from various countries and sectors around the world, and made significant contributions to GXI activities by achieving remarkable results, including a vision of scenarios for the transition period.
GX Open Innovation Award
Yanmar Energy Systems Co.
He made a significant contribution to GXI activities by broadening the perspective of GX technology on the utilization of hydrogen and waste heat for the realization of a decarbonized society for different industries, as well as by suggesting potential applications in medicine.
Ota Ward, Tokyo
He has shown exemplary efforts in regional innovation by promoting community-based manufacturing companies, attracting local government companies, and other public-private partnerships, as well as the urban development project through the Haneda Innovation City.
GX Incentive Award
Akito Nishimura ( Assistant Prof. Institute of Institute of SCIENCE TOKYO )
He has been actively engaged in pioneering research and development of new types of solar cells, such as compound thin-film solar cell elements, and has contributed to GXI activities with remarkable results that are expected to play an even more active role in the future.
Takao Kashiwagi GXI Award winners (from left to right: Mr. Yokoi, Mr. Yamada (Mr. Nishimura's proxy), Mr. Kato, Mr. Kashiwagi, Mr. Suezaki of Yanmar Energy System Co. and Mr. Akimoto) *Ota Ward was not present due to personal reasons
From left, Mr. Yamada, Director of Environment and Cleaning Department, Ota Ward, and Mr. Suzuki, Mayor of Ota Ward