Takashima Prize

Takashima Prize

JANES founded the Takashima Prize to support the activities of younger members of the Association. The Takashima Prize was founded for the practical use of the resources of the “Takashima Fund.” This fund became possible solely by the generous contribution to the Association by Mr. Koichi Takashima, who was President and also served as the Chairperson of Kyoei Steel Ltd. The Takashima Prize is granted to one regular member, 35 years old or younger, who has excelled in an area of research or within activity goals in the previous two years, commencing on the last day of December every year. In principle, one person is selected each year, and the Takashima Prize (a certificate of merit) and an additional prize of 300,000 yen are presented at the general meeting each year.

About Takashima Fund

JANES’s “Takashima Fund” became possible because of the 50 million yen contribution to the Association by Mr. Koichi Takashima, who was the President and who served as the Chair of Kyoei Steel Ltd. The fund was set up to further the goals and objectives set out by the Association in 1992.

After graduating from Osaka School of Engineering in 1943, Mr. Takashima founded Kyoei Steel Ltd. in 1947. When the company was formed, he became managing director and later, in 1953, president. He played an active role at the top of the company for over 40 years. During his tenure managing Kyoei Steel, the company evolved to become one of the top five companies in the domestic electric furnace industry in terms of the quantity of production of crude steel and in terms of profits. During those years, he also established joint corporations in North and South America, Asia, and Africa and provided knowledge and guidance in technical areas.

Mr. Takashima achieved many other prominent positions and awards. He contributed about 300 million yen to Japanese language courses at Harvard University in 1991 and was made an honorary professor there. This was widely reported by the media. He was also a prominent person in Mécénat. He was appointed as a director of the Japan Iron and Steel Federation and a director of the Japan Business Federation. He also received a Medal with Blue Ribbon award in 1988 from the government of Japan.