The Hitachi Global Foundation publishes news letters featuring its many activities. We offer various types of news about our Foundation, ranging from activity reports on symposiums, seminars, awards ceremonies, and other events to our latest topics. Please take a look to find out more.
As part of our efforts to foster future leaders in science and engineering, the Hitachi Global Foundation holds events and introduces top personnel from science and engineering backgrounds and people who are active on the front lines as engineers and researchers. The aim of this is to encourage female junior and senior high school students to pursue higher education in science and engineering. This year, we discussed the future of science and engineering personnel under the title of “Designing the Future of Science and Engineering Personnel: Our Vision for Society 10 Years from Now.” This event was attended by 43 elementary, junior high, and high school students, both boys and girls, together with 31 parents, teachers and researchers. The report of the event, published in November 2025 includes details of the talk sessions and group work. We invite you to visit our website.
Date: Monday, July 21, 2025 (Public Holiday)
Venue: Miraikan The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Koto-ku, Tokyo)
Part1: Lecture / Part 2: Talk Session
Rikao Yanagita
Part2: Talk Session
Hiromi Yokoyama
Part2: Talk Session
Daisuke Kyogoku
Talk session & Workshop
Talk session
Group work
Group photo of all participants
The Hitachi Global Foundation provides a project-based learning program for fifth graders to foster the problem-finding and problem-solving skills required of future professionals in science and technology. We collaborate with Hitachi Group companies to offer four on-site lessons at schools. The FY2025 program is underway at seven schools: Uehara Elementary School in Shibuya Ward, Makado Elementary School in Yokohama City, Chikumazawa Elementary School in Miyoshi Town, Hikarigaoka Elementary School, Tomise Elementary School, and Tomise Nishi Elementary School in Kashiwa City, and Matama Elementary School in Bungotakada City.
September 2, 2025 Chikumazawa Elementary School, Miyoshi Town, Iruma District, Saitama Prefecture
September 8, 2025 Hikarigaoka Elementary School, Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture
The Hitachi Global Foundation Science and Technology Seminars is an annual program offering seminars for people of all ages to experience the excitement of science and understand the importance of seeing things through the eyes of science.
This year, Professor Isao Echizen, a leading expert in fake media research, was invited to talk about deep fakes, which are continuing to increase as AI advances and have become a social problem. He discussed the threats posed by deep fakes and the latest countermeasure technologies to deal with them.
Program Outline
Theme
Spotting Deep Fakes ーAI that Creates vs. AI that Protectsー
Lecturer
Isao Echizen
Professor National Institute of Informatics Information and Society Research Division
Date & Time
Saturday, November 15, 2025, 13:30-15:10
Location
Hybrid format: on-site and online
【Venue】Kudan-Kaikan Terrace (1-6-5 Kudanminami, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo)
【Distribution】Zoom Webinar
Eligibility and participation fee
Junior high school and senior high school students and older, general public: Free of charge
The Hitachi Global Foundation annually publishes the Kurata Grants Research Report to share the outcomes of research funded by the grants.
The 54th edition, released this year, features the research outcomes of projects selected from FY2021 to FY2023.
The web version is now available, so please take a look to fi nd out more.
*The printed version is scheduled for publication in January 2026.
The Hitachi Global Foundation Asia Innovation Award was launched in FY2020 to promote innovations in science and technology that can contribute to solving social issues and realizing a sustainable society in the ASEAN region. This award recognizes individuals and groups that have notably served the public interest through their outstanding research and development projects that envision an ideal society and incorporate plans to implement innovative science and technology with the aim of contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs).
The Foundation is currently in the process of selecting the FY2025 award recipients. The awardees will be announced on our website at the end of January 2026.
Application Details
Applicants are invited to present their research and development achievements that contribute to one goal and one target chosen by the applicant from the 17 goals and 169 targets of the SDGs. They are also asked to submit implementation plans that envision how their research outcomes could help realize an ideal society in their own countries or the ASEAN region.
※Change of SDGs Selection Method
From FY2025, we have changed to the method of allowing applicants to freely select one goal and one target from the SDGs that they themselves would like to contribute to through their research theme. In the past, researchers had to choose between two goals presented by the secretariat, however the change from this year will allow for a wide variety of proposals based on the expertise and interests of the researcher.
Eligibility
Eligible countries, universities, and research institutes from among the ten ASEAN countries are selected each year based on the Foundation's application requirements. Applicants must be researchers, faculty members, or students belonging to eligible universities and research institutes, and be recommended by their schools or organizations. Both individuals and groups are accepted.
※Eligibility for FY2025
The six ASEAN countries of Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Vietnam were selected based on several economic indicators, and 26 leading universities and research institutes were selected as eligible.
Thoughts on the realization of an inclusive society
How should technology approach an inclusive society?
Multicultural Coexistence and Communication Technology
Preparing for the Era of 10 Million Foreign Workers
The Impact of Generative AI on an Inclusive Society
Attempts at Educational Practices for Social Justice and the Use of ICT
Through Education and Support for Students that Connect with Foreign Countries
“What Statistics Tell Us About Immigrant Society (4)”
Does an increase in the number of foreigners deteriorate public safety?
Verification using crime statistics
“Introduction to Initiatives to Create a Future of Multicultural Coexistence”
Preface From Editorial Board Member Taketoshi Taniguchi
How is the utilization of advanced science and technology related to the various issues facing the realization of an inclusive society? In this issue, a panel discussion with three speakers was held between Yu Korekawa, Kouta Minamizawa, and Atsuo Kishimoto, so please have a think about this topic. I think it comes down to a transscientific problem, which is “a group of questions that can be asked scientifically, but cannot be answered by science.” I believe that while these groups of questions are scientific and technological in nature, they are not only that, and must also be examined from other perspectives such as ethics, politics, economics, and society. I think that ultimately, we must reach a conclusion as a value choice for society.
On Sunday, June 15, 2025, a symposium titled "Discovering Multicultural Coexistence and Innovation:Shaping the Future of Japanese Society" was held in AKIBAHALL (AKIBA PLAZA, 5th floor). There were a total of 294 participants at the venue and online. The contents of the symposium will be published in the e-journal "Hitachi Global Foundation Global Society Review", Vol. 5, which is scheduled to be released in December 2025. Please be sure to take a look.
Keynote Lecture
Gracia LIU-FARRER
(Professor of Waseda Univ)
Panel Discussion (1)
Jun Soejima (Actor)
Marei Mentlein (Commentator)
Lawrence Yoshitaka Shimoji (Researcher of Okinawa Univ)
Minoru Karasawa (Specially Appointed Professor of Nagoya Univ)
Panel Discussion (2)
Akinori Tomohara (Professor of Aoyama Gakuin Univ)
Masahiro Umezaki (Professor of UTokyo)
Yu Korekawa (Director Migration Research Unit (IPSS-MRU) Department of International Research and Cooperation)
Alberto MILLAN MARTIN (Associate Professor of Keio Univ)
Oya KOC (CEO & Founder of Oyraa, Inc)
The Hitachi Global Foundation publishes a newsletter three times a year (November, March, and April), featuring activity reports from seminars, symposiums, award ceremonies, and the latest topics.
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